Kiss Away The Pain (A Teenlock story)
by ForeverShipJohnlock
Summary: Sherlock was never popular in school and when he upsets the team captain of the rugby team (Sebastian Moran), he finds himself cornered. Luckily, John is there to save the day. This is the story of the relationship that follows. Warnings for angst, violence and m/m teen smut (as well as romance and fluff). Written with SailorXStar as John, Me (ForeverShipJohnlock) as Sherlock.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I never thought I'd be able to find such a great writing partner on Omegle, but... along comes miss SailorXStar! This is the product of a lot of time and work, plus tons of ideas and we both hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed writing it! Please R&R, we love to hear what you think! There is much more to come, we've already got several chapters written, this is just a taste of this series! Enjoy!

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Sherlock was trying to figure out how to get out of the situation he had currently found himself in. He had made the bad mistake of provoking the rugby team captain and was currently backed up against a wall by a group of angry players. He knew what was coming, he'd been beaten up before and he knew there was no sense in trying to get away. It was also unlikely that anyone would be coming along to intervene, because all the professors were gone for the day and he had no friends, so he closed his eyes and waited for the first punch.

John was just coming down the hall when he saw his teammates all circled around something...No someone! They were about to beat someone up. He dropped his things and ran over, pushing his way through the group. "Hey! Stop it, mates. What are you doing?" Finally he made it to the space between the captain, Sebastian Moran, and a tall skinny boy with a mop of dark curls cringing against the wall. "Moran, what's going on here?" he asked, trying to get him to put down his arm.

Sherlock opened his eyes at the sound of a new voice, one he'd never heard before. He sighed and looked gratefully at the shorter boy, 17 years old if his memory served correctly, just transferred. His name was something common... Jim... or something like it. His thoughts were interrupted when Moran scoffed, "Freak here thinks he's better than us... we're gonna teach him a lesson." Sebastian turned back and punched Sherlock square in the nose, knocking him to the ground, "care to join us, John?" _John, not Jim... _Sherlock mentally corrected himself. He could see the evil smirk on Sebastian's face and cringed as his leg reared back, ready to kick him in the gut.

John jumped when Moran's fist whizzed past him and hit the boy in the face. He knelt down next to him as he fell. _What could this boy have possibly done to make Moran and the others this upset?_ As John saw Moran preparing to kick the boy, he stood and pushed him backwards. "I don't beat up on people unless I have a good reason. And right now the only person I see who deserves a punch in the face is you." John stared defiantly at the older boy, arms crossed over his chest. He just wished he were a bit taller to complete his look of intimidation, but he did see some of the other rugby players backing away nervously.

Sherlock curled himself into a ball, the pain from the punch to his face unbearable. _My nose is most definitely broken_, he thought and focused on escaping deep into his mind palace to ignore the pain, as he always did. He didn't even hear the exchange between the other boys, too lost in his thoughts. Sebastian chuckled, "Aw, come on, John! We're just having a little fun!" He said and smiled, holding his hands out in an attempt to calm John down.

"Fun?" John said, seething. "I didn't realize when I joined the rugby team that I was joining a gang of bullies. If this is your idea of fun then I don't want a part of it. Or you." He glanced back momentarily at the lithe form of the boy on the ground. Blood was starting to pool from his nose, but he didn't look seriously hurt otherwise. Turning back to Moran, John gave him a dangerous look. "Get out of here before I call the headmaster and get you suspended from the team."

The smile quickly dropped from Moran's face and he furrowed his brow in anger at John, "Fine. Whatever," he retorted and spit in Sherlock's direction before turning to walk away. "Later, freak... C'mon boys, let's go." He walked away with his fists clenched at his sides and the other players followed. Meanwhile, Sherlock was running through the periodic table in his mind for the fourth time, shaking and waiting for the next punch or kick to come.

John waited until all the boys had turned the corner, keeping a stern eye on them, before bending down next to the boy. He could see his body trembling and felt even more angry at the boys for their behaviour, but pushed it away. He needed to help this kid, whoever he was. "Hey," he said quietly, and gingerly rested his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Are you alright?" He seemed so helpless, the way he had laid there and accepted the beating. There was no way that he had done anything more than be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sherlock jerked as he felt the touch to his shoulder, expecting it to be another punch. He relaxed once he heard John's voice and opened his eyes, looking at the other boy's face for the first time. He was quite handsome, with his dark blue eyes and short dirty blonde hair. He was definitely an athlete with his broad shoulders and slightly muscular frame making up for his lack of height. "F-fine... I'm fine," he lied, his voice strained and shaking. He winced as another pulse of pain shot through his nose and he reached up to wipe the blood away with the back of his hand.

John's heart went out to the boy when he saw him flinch at his touch, but he was glad that he didn't try to move away. "Come on. I know how to fix your nose up." He offered the boy a smile and held out his hand. Now that he wasn't trying to protect him, he got a good look at him. His eyes were a piercing blue-green that he'd never seen before on a person, and his hair was a complete mess of curls in all directions, but it seemed to work for him. Not to mention he had some prominent cheekbones. He mentally scolded himself for thinking this, though. He wasn't gay... Not really anyway.

Sherlock glanced from John's hand back to his face and he hesitated before grabbing it and allowing himself to be pulled up. "You don't have to do this, you know," he stated, pushing himself up off the floor with his free hand. He was shocked the boy even ran the other boys off, let alone that he was trying to help him now, no one had ever shown any kindness toward him before. _Curious,_ he thought, intrigued by John. He found himself analyzing him without thought, taking in his full appearance, but looking away after his thoughts took a more personal turn. He had always known he preferred males over females, although he had never been involved with either romantically, but this was not the time to let his look linger too long. He still wasn't sure how John would react to that sort of attention.

John pulled the boy up and shrugged a little. "I know I don't have to. But I want to." He looked up at him and could see the almost calculating look in his eyes. It was a bit unnerving, especially because he didn't understand why this boy would be looking at him that way. Unless of course he didn't trust him just yet. John supposed he couldn't blame him for that after the way he had been treated. He gestured for the boy to follow him down the hall, intending to go into the bathroom and clean him up. Luckily he always kept a first aid kit on him. "What's your name?" he asked, glancing at the boy.

"Sherlock Holmes," Sherlock said, following John down the hall. He easily fell into step with the shorter boy, their arms brushing occasionally as they walked. "Your name is John... Watson, right?" he asked, his head tilting a little. He still felt nervous, not knowing how observant John was and trying to keep his thoughts in check, though he still maintained steady eye contact with him.

John nodded. "That's right. Nice to meet you," he said. He couldn't help but notice the small amount of contact between them as they walked, but he didn't mind. At least the boy, Sherlock, seemed comfortable enough not to walk at a distance from him. They made it to the bathroom and John led Sherlock over to the basin, turning on the water so that it would warm up a little. He got some paper towels and wet them, reaching up to clean the blood from Sherlock's face. His skin was so pale it made the crimson stand out that much more, and John shivered a little, feeling a strange sense of de ja vu. Shaking his head, he asked Sherlock, "What did you do to get them so riled up?"

Sherlock winced a little as the paper towel grazed his nose, still sensitive to any sort of touch. "Ah, I, um... caught Sebastian cheating on an exam earlier this week and threatened to tell the professor... He didn't take too kindly to my observations, he rarely does. I should have known better than to provoke him, especially after last time..." Sherlock bit his lip and looked away, remembering how bad of shape he ended up in last time Moran had decided to 'teach him a lesson'.

John paused for a moment, not lowering his hand, but quirking his mouth to the side. "He does this a lot then," he said, continuing more gently with his cleaning. It wasn't a question. John had found out quickly that Moran had a temper, but he didn't know that he took it out on defenseless people. Once the blood was gone, John patted Sherlock's face dry and got out his first aid kit. There was a nose splint inside which he brought towards Sherlock. "This might hurt a little. I don't think your nose is broken, or your tear ducts would probably be going wild. But you should wear this at least for today." John put the splint in place as gently as he could.

Sherlock groaned at the slight pain, "Yes, though this time wasn't nearly as bad. If it weren't for you I may have ended up in the hospital again." He grabbed John's hand and squeezed it, "thanks... for everything," he murmured and smiled shyly.

John's eyes widened just a bit. Moran had put him in the hospital last time? Well, that was it. He was going to have to make sure that Sebastian Moran never laid another finger on Sherlock. He was a bit surprised when Sherlock took his hand, but he smiled and squeezed back. "You're very welcome." John bit his lip. Sure, he wanted to protect Sherlock, but that would be strange if they weren't friends. So he supposed that was the next step. "So, um...Are you doing anything today?"

Sherlock released John's hand and ran his fingers through his curls, "Not that I know of," he said, surprised John would want anything to do with him after this. "Why? Did you have something in mind?" He hoped he wasn't misreading things, but it seemed as if John wanted to spend more time with him and he was more than willing, in fact it was the first thing he'd looked forward to since... well, ever.

John scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. "Well, I don't have anything specific in mind, but if you want to hang out..." He looked up at Sherlock nervously. Did he trust him enough to want to spend time with him? Did he even want to spend time with him in the first place? He waited for Sherlock's answer, wringing his hands together.

Sherlock smiled at John's nervousness, "of course. Would you... like to come over?" His heart began to pound in his chest from what was either excitement or his own nerves, he couldn't tell. It was exhilarating either way and he hoped he hadn't overstepped some boundary, never having any friends growing up caused him to be rather inept socially.

John grinned up at Sherlock. "Sure. If I'm not intruding or anything." So this was it. He was really making friends with Sherlock. He shouldn't have felt so excited about this, but he did. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Sherlock was a handsome boy who actually seemed pretty genuine compared to everyone else he had met since transferring here. John jerked his head toward the door. "Let's go. I'll give you a lift if you tell me how to get there."

"Brilliant!" Sherlock exclaimed, blushing as soon as he said it. _Dammit, not so excitable, Sherlock!_, he cursed himself and walked with John to his car. He shot a quick text to his brother Mycroft to let him know he was bringing a friend home for dinner and to try not to run him off with his bluntness. As they approached the lot, Sherlock spoke again, side by side with John, "So, what brought you to London?" he asked, wanting to learn as much as he could about the other boy.

John chuckled a little at Sherlock's exclamation and he led him out to the car park. As they walked towards the end of the lot, John answered him. "My father got a new job in the city and we had to move closer. It's a lot different from where we used to live. We were out in the country before." They walked towards the outer edge of the lot, not to a car but to a motor bike. John turned back to Sherlock with a sheepish smile. "I hope you don't mind. It's a lot easier to have one of these in London than a car."

Sherlock was both excited and apprehensive at the prospect of being so tightly pressed against John and he felt his heart rate increase again. He gave John a smile in return, "Of course, no problem. I live out on the edge of the city, 418 Holmes Court. It's um... a big house. Kind of hard to miss," he chuckled nervously.

John nodded slowly, making the connection between Sherlock's last name and the name of the street. Maybe it was just a coincidence...Maybe. He climbed onto the bike, wishing that he had a helmet so that he could offer it to Sherlock, but he didn't even wear one himself. He patted the spot behind him and smiled charmingly at Sherlock. "I'll be careful, I promise," he said, winking at him. What was going on? He was almost flirting with him.

Sherlock smiled cheekily and hopped on, wrapping his arms around John's waist and scooting as close as he could. Just for safety, of course. He still had a smile plastered on his face as he got settled. "I hope so, because if I fall off, you're coming down with me," he breathed in John's ear, testing the waters. He'd never flirted before, but it was so natural with John that he couldn't help it.

John felt shivers going down his spine as Sherlock pressed against his back and he flushed at the deep voice in his ear. Swallowing, he looked back at Sherlock and let his lips twitch up a little. "Hang on," he said and started the bike. He turned out of the car park, onto the street, and zoomed through the normal traffic as fast as he felt was safe. Which for John Watson was pretty fast.

Sherlock smirked at his reaction and tightened his hold as they sped out of the lot. He'd never ridden on a motorbike before, but it was very exhilarating and the speed coupled with how tightly pressed he was to John caused adrenaline to flood through his system. He leaned forward and rested his chin on John's shoulder, smiling. He was extremely happy and hoped that John was okay with the closeness.

John smiled as Sherlock's chin found its way to his shoulder. This was the closest he'd ever been to another boy before, and he had only known Sherlock for less than an hour. He leant back a little, pressing into Sherlock's chest. He wasn't gay... but he could certainly get used to this.

Sherlock sighed contentedly, glad the rumble of the engine drowned out the sound. He was almost sad when they approached his massive driveway, loathe to give up this closeness to John. As they pulled to the front of the mansion, he could see Mycroft peeking out of the window of the third story and hoped he would stay up there for the duration of John's visit.

As they approached Sherlock's house- no, mansion- John gaped in shock. Alright, so that street was definitely named after him. That had to be the biggest house he'd ever seen. Suddenly he felt extremely nervous. Compared to Sherlock, John might as well be homeless. Bad enough that they lived in a tiny flat, but his father was actually working two jobs to make ends meet since his mother had left. If Sherlock found out he was poor, would he still want to be friends?

Sherlock studied John's face as he looked at the mansion and judging by his expression he seemed embarrassed, but why? _Ah... he must not live in a house this big..._ he thought and suddenly felt a tugging in his stomach, not wanting John to be uncomfortable and choose to leave instead of staying. He grabbed John's arm and smiled reassuringly at him, "let's go inside." He lead the shorter boy into the house and through the foyer, stopping at the bottom of the spiral staircase and yelling up, "Mum, I'm home!" His mother yelled back down, telling him that dinner should be ready soon and he better eat this time. Sherlock rolled his eyes and turned to John, grabbing his hand and squeezing, "Come on, I'll show you my room."

John bit his lip as he looked up at the house, trying not to feel like a pauper in comparison to Sherlock. He was reassured by the hand on his arm and followed Sherlock inside after turning off his bike. The inside of the house was just as incredible as the outside. The staircase was made of a shiny dark wood and steps that looked like marble. Oh God, were they marble? How much money did Sherlock have? There was a chandelier hanging right in the center of the foyer, high up on the vaulted ceiling. John was pulled from admiring the house with wide eyes as Sherlock took his hand. He squeezed it back, attempting a smile as he went up the stairs with Sherlock.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Well, here it is! Chapter two of our story. This one gets a little intense, so be prepared for some angst! Please R&R, we love hearing from you!

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Sherlock led John down the hallway and into his bedroom which was at the end of the hall. He had insisted on it being decorated in black and royal blue, his two favourite colours. There was a desk at the far end of the room with papers scattered on it and a full chemistry set next to it on a table. His bed was king sized and had black Egyptian cotton sheets and a plush velvet quilt in royal blue. He took off his coat and tossed it on the back of the chair, toeing off his shoes and looking back at John with a smile. "Make yourself at home." His smile faded quickly when he saw how nervous and unsure John seemed to be. "Hey... what's wrong?" he asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. He walked over to John and grabbed his shoulders, leaning down to try and make eye contact with him.

John couldn't believe the size of Sherlock's room. Even with the furniture, it was spacious, probably as big as the whole downstairs of his flat. He wrung his hands together as he looked around, in complete awe of everything. He felt so ridiculous now. Sherlock wouldn't want to be friends with someone who was so below his status. When Sherlock grabbed him, John couldn't even look the other boy in the eye. "It's nothing, I just..." He cast his eyes down further and flushed. "I'm not anywhere _**remotely**_ close to you in wealth." His next words just came out in a rush. "I live in a tiny flat and my father works two jobs and I can barely afford petrol for my bike most days." He looked up at Sherlock, worried that he would tell him to leave, that he couldn't be associated with someone who was poor.

"John..." Sherlock said softly, his heart breaking at John's defeated tone of voice. He wanted nothing more than to erase his fears of rejection, knowing how it could feel. He pulled John close to him and hugged him, unable to think of anything else to do. "I don't care," he said firmly and released him, grabbing his face and turning his head to force him to look him in the eyes, "you are the first person to even want to spend time with me. All the others mock and tease me, beat me up and send me to the hospital with several broken bones and a concussion... You were the first to show any kindness towards me and I am grateful for that. How much money you have doesn't matter to me in the least. Please don't worry about that." He spoke softly, but determinedly, trying to convince John that there was nothing that would make him ask him to leave. He'd only known John for a short time, but he already felt such a connection to him that he knew he would always want him in his life, no matter what.

John's heart fluttered as Sherlock pulled him in for a hug, and he couldn't help himself. He put his arms around Sherlock and stayed there, face pressed into his shoulder. Sherlock smelled like clean laundry, a little like cinnamon, and just faintly like cigarettes. Somehow the combination seemed fitting and he relaxed a little because of it. He let Sherlock keep his face locked on him and listened to his deep baritone as he spoke. John's heart filled with warmth at the explanation, and sadness as well. He could see the sincerity in his eyes and he nodded, pulling Sherlock in for another hug. "Thank you..." Looking up at him without breaking away, John spoke with more determination. "I promise, I'll never let anyone come after you again. From now on, I'll protect you, ok?" He hoped that the vow wasn't too forward, but he just felt like it was something he had to do. Something about Sherlock was special and it drew him in.

Sherlock smiled brightly and with his heart fluttering, he leaned down to press a kiss to John's forehead. He closed his eyes and held his lips there for a few moments before pulling away and looking into John's eyes, "thank you," he whispered. He loved the feel of John wrapped around him and knew that he could stay this way forever if their bodies allowed them to.

A deep blush spread over John's cheeks as Sherlock's lips pressed to his forehead. This was definitely much more than he'd bargained for, but he wasn't complaining. Though when Sherlock's lips stayed in place for longer than a normal kiss, he wondered if it had just been an accident. Either way, he was really enjoying the feeling. He met Sherlock's eyes with a smile. "You're welcome."John reluctantly pulled away from him, figuring that it probably wasn't a great idea to stay so close to Sherlock for so long in case he got suspicious of something, because John couldn't deny it any longer. He was definitely attracted to Sherlock. He cleared his throat looking around the room. "So, uh, what do you want to do?"

Sherlock observed how John was acting towards him and since he was not pulling away from his touches but rather pulling him closer, he came to the conclusion that John was feeling close to him as well. The overwhelming desire to just take him in his arms again and kiss him until he was breathless was almost too much to bear. He wouldn't push it though, knowing that John probably had not been in a situation like this with another male before, so he smiled and calmed his thoughts. "We could just sit on my bed and talk if you want," he said, gesturing to the mattress, "I would very much like to know more about you, John."

John grinned and nodded. "Sounds good." He finally took his shoes off, feeling more comfortable, and sat on the edge of the bed. And oh...That was very nice. His bed at home was like a rock compared to this. "You know, you said to make myself at home and I think I might just do that," he said cheekily, pulling himself fully onto the bed and laying down with a laugh. He sprawled over the quilt, letting the plush warmth envelope him. "I'm rather jealous of your bed."

Sherlock chuckled and sprawled out next to John, "yes, it is quite nice, isn't it? You can spend the night... that is, if you want to... I'm not... pushing you or anything," he ended up mumbling half the sentence, suddenly shy again and a blush finding its way across his cheeks. He turned on his side, propping his head up on his hand and smiled down at John nervously.

John turned his head to find Sherlock looking at him, the last of a blush fading from his cheeks. He must have still been a little nervous with John and he couldn't help a soft smile. The thought of spending the night was tempting, he hadn't slept over at a friend's house since he was in grade school. "Sure, I'll stay over. I'll just ring my father after dinner." John looked up at the ceiling and put his arms behind his head. "So tell me something, and sorry if this seems rude, but I'm really curious. How does your family have all this money?"

Sherlock beamed when John agreed to stay and laid back to stare at the ceiling too, his elbow brushing John's. "Well, most of it is inherited, I come from a long line of very wealthy family. My father owns several diamond and ruby mines, he even has a couple of oil fields out in the United States. My mother is very prominent in politics, she's on several boards that I can't even remember the name of," his thoughts drifted to his childhood and he fidgeted nervously before speaking again. "I've never had any want for money, we've always had plenty of it and I know that I won't have to worry about being able to continue with my studies, but... It gets really lonely. I mean, of course I have Mycroft, my elder brother, but we don't really get along that well and my parents are always busy with work and socializing with their elite group of friends, always throwing parties. I never had any friends growing up because they always assumed I was too 'well to do' and wouldn't have anything to do with them. As I said, you're the first person to ever approach me." Sherlock fell silent after the speech, not really meaning to go that far into detail, but again it just seemed to come naturally with John.

John watched Sherlock as he spoke, unable to imagine what it might have been like to grow up in the Holmes family. He was a very lucky boy, John knew that much. But he felt bad that Sherlock hadn't had any friends. Even if he couldn't make friends at school, John would have thought that the wealthy friends of his parents might have had children his age. In another way, he was sort of glad. Had Sherlock already had friends, they probably wouldn't have ever met. When Sherlock was finished, John's lips formed a half-smile. "To be perfectly honest, if I knew that you were so wealthy, I might have been afraid to approach you myself. I mean, I'm pretty much the complete opposite of you." With a sigh, John decided to tell his own story. This was really nice, talking with Sherlock. All his 'friends' at school only ever wanted to talk about girls and sex and sports. At least Sherlock seemed capable of other forms of conversation. "My mother left us close to seven years ago now because, um...Well, my sister Harry sort of revealed to us that she is a lesbian, and mum didn't really like that. But da wouldn't let mum kick her out, so she left instead. That's when things started to get hard. Harry was just about to go to college and my father put most of his savings towards that. We've been scraping by ever since. That's why da wanted us to move to the city because we could get a smaller place to live and he could find more work." John flushed a little, keeping his eyes on the ceiling towards the end.

Sherlock listened intently as John spoke, thanking whoever was out there watching over him that John had no previous knowledge of him before their first encounter. He was very glad to have John in his life now and didn't want to let him go. He nodded when John was finished speaking and turned to face him, propping his head up again, "what about you? Do you... I mean... do you date? I know I've heard several of the girls at school talk about how 'handsome' the new boy is," Sherlock smirked and winked at him.

John's blush only darkened when Sherlock asked him about dating. Oh, if only he knew who he wanted to date now. What would he think? "Well, I haven't really talked with many girls since I moved here," he said. "And dating hasn't been the first thing on my mind lately anyway. I've been trying to get good enough grades to get some kind of scholarship or I don't know how I'm going to go to Uni." That was absolutely true, of course. Much as he was now feeling like he wanted to date Sherlock, before he hadn't been trying to find anyone. It just didn't seem that important at the time.

Sherlock smiled, glad that John wasn't seeing anyone at the moment. He'd like to think that increased his chances of maybe dating John himself, but he didn't know for certain that he felt that way about boys. "Well, I'm sure you wouldn't have any trouble at all finding someone. You're very handsome, kind and smart," he said and couldn't resist reaching out to brush John's hair away from his forehead before he realized what he was doing and blushed, jerking his hand away. "Sorry..." he murmured.

As Sherlock's fingers touched his face, John felt a tingling sensation and he swallowed a little nervously, shaking his head. "No, it's alright. And, um, thank you," he said, in regard to the praise. He didn't know if he should ask Sherlock about his dating history. If Sherlock didn't have friends then he probably hadn't had girlfriends. Or boyfriends, whichever he preferred. "You could get someone, too, I'll bet. You're pretty handsome yourself," he admitted. "You're nice from what I've seen of you so far. And I'm going to guess by the chemistry set over there that you're pretty intelligent too, or at least good at science."

Sherlock snorted, "yeah right... I'm too much of a... a _**freak**_ to ever find anyone." He spoke with a bitter tone in his voice, swallowing down tears and feeling his heart clench. He'd been called many things by his peers: freak, faggot, arsehole... none of them even remotely as positive as what John just said. He smiled gratefully down at him, "thank you for thinking so, though," he said softly.

John felt his heart breaking at Sherlock's tone. He must have been bullied by more than just the rugby players,yet John just couldn't understand why. Sherlock seemed harmless and pretty normal to him. "Is that what they call you?" he asked gently. He rolled onto his side, reaching a hand out to rest on Sherlock's upper arm. "I heard Moran saying it before. He's talked about you, now that I think about it. Never referred to you by name, only as...well, that." John could tell that the word really bothered Sherlock, so he avoided saying it. "But I don't get it. Why?"

Sherlock nodded and swallowed again, the tears reaching his eyes and threatening to spill over. "I... notice things. Things that most other people don't and I get a lot of hell for it. People just don't want to hear what I have to say, preferring to stay in the dark rather than be shown the truth about things." He sighed raggedly and felt the first drops of moisture roll down his cheek, "I think too much most of the time and it gets so _**lonely**_, John. I can't help but observe everything about everyone around me and it causes people to run away from me. I don't want to die alone, but I know there's a very good chance of that happening because I know no one could ever love me." Sherlock closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. He didn't want to cry in front of John, he hated showing any kind of weakness. It made him feel vulnerable.

John instantly felt guilty. He hadn't meant to make Sherlock cry. And hearing what he had to say almost made John want to cry as well. It was heart-wrenching. Reaching up his fingers, he gently brushed a tear from Sherlock's cheek. "I'm sorry, Sherlock. I shouldn't have asked." John bit his lip. He wanted to say that he could love him, quite easily he thought, but that was too much too fast. So instead, he decided to show Sherlock in another way, without saying it outright. "Tell me what you noticed about me," he said, offering him a smile of encouragement. "I want to see this for myself. It can't be as bad as you make it out to be." John brought his hand down to grab Sherlock's and squeeze. "I promise you, I won't be going anywhere," he added softly.

Sherlock searched John's face and thought long and hard before he spoke. "You've been playing sports all your life, so you're very athletic. You're a very caring person, which means that you probably want to go into some field where you're helping people. Most likely a doctor, based on your advanced skills of taking care of injuries..." he paused, unsure if he should continue, but decided to give him everything, after all he asked for it. "You're also unsure of your feelings towards me, you think you may be attracted to me, but you're not sure. You're not gay, you have never had feelings for another boy before so... it frightens you. _**I**_ frighten you." He held his breath in anticipation of John's reaction, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears.

John smiled a little in fascination at Sherlock's first words, but after the pause he paled and his eyes went wide. He swallowed after Sherlock was done, heart threatening to burst from his chest. However, Sherlock didn't seem to be bothered by it; he was just stating facts, and damn he was good at it. John relaxed, only marginally, letting out a nervous chuckle. "No, you don't frighten me," he said quietly. "But you're absolutely right. I've never been attracted to a boy before. You're the first." He blushed furiously, casting his eyes down. "And it looks like I was right too, because that was fantastic. You're brilliant." John looked back up at Sherlock and smiled faintly. He didn't know what was going to happen, and it made him nervous and excited all at once.

Sherlock's heart nearly stopped at John's words, a wide smile breaking across his face. _**Nobody**_ had ever been this kind to him, not even close. He felt so connected to John in that moment that all he could do was reach forward with a shaky hand and place it on John's cheek, pulling his face closer to his own. He was breathing rapidly and his heart was pounding again as he closed the distance between them and placed a soft kiss on John's lips, unable to resist anymore. He let his lips linger for a moment before pulling away again, his eyes still closed. "Are you sure?" he asked softly, barely above a whisper. He had never been more scared in his entire life. He was terrified that even though John had confessed his feelings, he would run from the building after this.

John stayed completely still as Sherlock moved forward, only closing his eyes as their lips touched. He could hardly believe this. He met this boy only hours ago, and now they had kissed. John felt his entire body light up at the connection, and he just _**knew**_ that this was right. Boy or girl, it didn't matter. _**Sherlock**_ was right. When Sherlock pulled away and spoke again, sounding so worried that John would take it back, he brought his own hand to Sherlock's cheek. "I'm positive." He then scooted his whole body closer, pressing his lips to Sherlock's again, very gently.

Sherlock whimpered in relief and kissed John back, moving his hand to the back of John's head and rolling his lips against the shorter boy's. He took his free hand and rested it on John's hip, stroking gently and focusing all his attention on their kiss. Having never kissed anyone before, he was going purely on instinct and the few occasions he'd seen other people kissing.

John made a muffled sound as Sherlock suddenly threw himself into the kiss, but he gladly kissed him back. He wrapped his arms around Sherlock's neck, holding him in place and parting his lips to lock with the other boy's. It was different from kissing a girl, more firm and a bit scratchy because Sherlock had some stubble, but really, he couldn't care less. It was wonderful.

Sherlock moaned softly into the kiss and briefly darted his tongue out to caress inside of John's mouth before retreating, still unsure of himself. His hand migrated from John's hip to the small of his back and pulled him even closer, their bodies now flush against each other from head to toe. Sherlock hooked his leg around the other boy's and groaned, his eyes rolling to the back of his head from the pleasure of the contact.

John opened his mouth for Sherlock as his tongue pushed through, and was disappointed when it didn't stay longer. He whimpered soflty as their hips bumped together and, oh God, was he already getting hard? Sherlock was too good at this. If they went too much further, things were going to get heated. John's conscience decided to kick in and he pulled away breathlessly. "Sh...Sherlock..." he gasped out. "We...should stop...before we go too far..."

Sherlock frowned, confused, until his insecurity set in and voices that sounded strangely like every person that had ever bullied him filled his head. _He doesn't want this... doesn't want you. How could you think that? How could __**anyone**__ ever want you?_ He winced and scrambled to the far corner of the bed, sitting against the headboard and pulling his knees up to his chest. "Sorry... I'm so sorry..." he mumbled and kept repeating it over and over. He buried his face, escaping to his mind palace again to avoid the pain, only this time it wasn't physical pain he was experiencing.

John blinked at Sherlock in surprise when he suddenly pulled away and curled up in the corner of the bed. "Sherlock?" he said quietly, crawling across the bed towards him. "Hey, Sherlock..." John could hear him muttering apologies. Did he think that John was upset? The blonde ran his hand through Sherlock's hair, trying to show him that he wasn't mad or whatever he thought, and he dropped a kiss into his hair. "Come on, Sherlock...what happened?" he asked with his face pressed in dark curls.

Sherlock whimpered as the voices continued to scream in his head. He couldn't feel the soft touches, couldn't hear John's voice above the rest and he started to shake. _Stupid... so stupid. He's going to leave now, he'll run away... you'll be alone. Forever alone._ He started to whimper audibly, the shaking getting more intense as he tried to focus on something else, **anything** else.

John felt Sherlock's body trembling and started to panic. He had to snap him out of this... whatever he was having. John grabbed both of Sherlock's hands where they were clasped around his legs and he leaned forward to speak directly into Sherlock's ear. "Sherlock, listen to me. I'm here. Please talk to me." He hoped that this worked. He didn't know if he'd be able to pull Sherlock out of this episode otherwise.

Sherlock faintly heard another voice joining in with the others, but this one was different, soothing... "_John?"_ he thought and focused on that voice, pushing the other ones aside. His shaking slowly became less intense as he worked as hard as he could to hone in on John's voice alone. "John..." he murmured softly.

John smiled a little when it seemed like it was working. "That's right, it's me. I'm here." He kissed the shell of Sherlock's ear and squeezed his hands, trying to pull Sherlock back with the different sensations. He only wondered what had happened to make him so upset in the first place. It must have been something he said. A pit of guilt welled in his stomach at the thought of hurting Sherlock, even though he hadn't meant to.

Sherlock finally stopped shaking and the voices were growing quieter, but he still worried about whether John was going to stay. He looked up and locked gazes with the shorter boy. "Please... don't. Don't leave me," he whispered, tears starting to fall again. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." He desperately needed John to stay, more than he ever needed anyone and if it meant he had to push aside his deeper feelings for him, he would.

John's heart just broke at the sight and sound of Sherlock. He was like a frightened child the way he was curled up and begging for John to stay. "Sherlock..." He leaned forward and kissed him slowly, cupping his face in both hands. When he pulled away, it was just far enough to look into his eyes again. "Relax. I'm not going anywhere, ok? I'm right here." He attempted a smile and smoothed his thumbs over Sherlock's cheekbones. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I said something to make you this upset, didn't I?" He kept a hold of Sherlock's face and kissed his forehead, then the tip of his nose, then moved to his lips where he gave him a few slow, tender kisses to try to convince him that he was most certainly not leaving.

Sherlock calmed down gradually with each kiss, relieved that John was staying, and after a few minutes he shook his head. "No... I just..." he sighed shakily, "it's okay if you don't want to... be with me. I just don't want you to leave." He bit his lip and looked away nervously. "I've never kissed anyone before that..." he said quietly, not sure if he even wanted John to hear him.

John smiled, finally understanding what he'd said to set off Sherlock. "I do want to be with you," he said, surprised at how easily it came out. But it was just the truth. He couldn't imagine himself with anyone else for some reason. "I just didn't want to go too far today. We only just met after all, and if we do something, you know, _**sexual**_, I want it to mean something." John's eyebrows raised in surprise at Sherlock's last words. "Really?" He grinned. "Well, you are a damn good kisser for someone inexperienced." He smoothed his hand over Sherlock's hair.

Sherlock sighed and smiled in relief. He honestly didn't know what he'd done to deserve someone as kind as John, but he was so glad to have him. "I want it to mean something too," he said and pulled John in for another kiss. He started at a knock on his bedroom door. It was Mycroft, letting them know that dinner was served. Sherlock gave John one last quick kiss after Mycroft walked away and helped him down off the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Okay! We're back with another installment of this lovely series! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and/or any other holiday you would be celebrating ^_^ Thanks so much for the follows and keep those reviews coming, we love hearing your feedback!

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John was ready for a good snog when the knock interrupted them. A younger sounding voice told them dinner was ready and he knew it must be Sherlock's older brother. He suddenly felt a bit nervous. Sherlock didn't care that he wasn't wealthy, but would his family feel the same? They might think that Sherlock shouldn't be associating with someone so below his status. He took Sherlock's hand as he got off the bed but held back for a second. "Sherlock..." he started. "What if they don't like me?"

Sherlock smiled reassuringly and grasped John's chin in his hand. "Nonsense, John... They'll adore you." He kissed the other boy, briefly allowing their tongues to touch before pulling away with a smirk, "just be yourself," he whispered and grabbed John's hand, pulling him out the door to the bathroom to wash up before going to the dining hall.

John tried to be reassured by Sherlock's words but he was still incredibly nervous. He kept a tight hold on Sherlock's hand, only letting go to wash up in the incredible bathroom. He looked in the mirror, doing his best to fix himself up to look presentable, then followed Sherlock down to the dining hall. As with everything else in the house, it was also huge and beautiful. There was a long table, set with fine china and silverware. Another chandelier hung above them and all around the room were cabinets of crystal figures and paintings hanging on the walls. Swallowing, John gripped Sherlock's hand for support.

Sherlock squeezed John's hand reassuringly and led him to the head of the table where his mum was already seated. "Well, Sherlock... Your brother told me you had a friend coming to join us! Hello dear, it's so nice to meet you! I'm Sherlock's mother, you can call me mum if you like." She smiled brightly at John and gestured for them to have a seat. Sherlock pulled a chair out for John next to his usual spot.

John smiled sheepishly at Sherlock's mother and shook her hand. "It's very nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm John Watson. You have a wonderful house." He flushed slightly as Sherlock pulled the chair out for him and he sat down. He smiled, trying to be as polite as possible. It was while since he had last used truly proper manners. He forced himself not to rest his elbows on the table as he usually did.

"Oh, it's a bit much, especially when it comes to the upkeep, but we manage." Mrs. Holmes said and laughed softly. "Sherlock, how come you've never mentioned your friend here before? I was beginning to think you didn't have any!" Sherlock felt a lump form in his throat, his parents were blissfully unaware of his struggles to find friends, never having time to actually talk to him. "Well, we actually just met... John was walking down the hall when..." he paused and looked over at John, "when we got off school and we started talking, so I invited him home with me." Sherlock's mother smiled, "Well, it's lovely to have you, John. You're welcome to stay over any time you want. Consider this your second home!" Just then the butler and cook came in with a cart filled with food. The butler passed out bowls of soup while the cook began to carve a large turkey.

John was surprised when Sherlock's mother teased him about not having friends, but then he remembered that Sherlock had said his parents didn't ever spend time with him. They didn't know. He snuck his hand onto Sherlock's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. As Sherlock explained how they met, specifically leaving out the part about the rugby team, he just smiled and nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Mrs. Holmes. That's very kind of you."

As the food came out, John's nose was filled with a heavenly aroma. The soup alone looked fantasitc, not to mention the huge, golden browned turkey. John waited to see which spoon Sherlock picked up before picking up his own and taking a spoonful of soup. Dear God, that was fantastic.

Sherlock made small talk with his mother throughout the meal and though he barely ate anything, he smiled at how much John seemed to be enjoying it all. He even got along very well with his mother and he was grateful that she was so accepting of him and kept him involved in the conversation.

Once they were finished, Sherlock asked if he could bring their dessert to his room with them and his mother agreed to let them, saying she would have it brought to his room later. Sherlock hugged his mother good night and gave her a kiss on the cheek, whispering in her ear, "thank you, mum." Mrs. Holmes smiled and patted Sherlock's hand, "Of course, dear. Keep hold of this one, you seem so happy with him," she said quietly enough for just Sherlock to hear and winked at him, making him blush.

John slowly became more comfortable with talking to Mrs. Holmes as he saw how sweet and kind she was. And the food got better with each bite he took. They never ate anything this good at home. Some days they didn't eat at all. It was nice to have a full stomach for once. Slowly but surely John was feeling more and more at home.

When they stood up to say goodnight, John waited until Sherlock had hugged his mother and then stepped forward to shake her hand again. "This was wonderful," he said sincerely. "Thank you for having me, Mrs. Holmes."

"Any time, dear! You're always welcome here," Mrs. Holmes said and smiled warmly at him. Sherlock grabbed John by the wrist and drug him out of the dining hall, trying to avoid his brother, but as they reached the door Mycroft was standing there with his arms across his chest.

"Mycroft," Sherlock spat. "Sherlock," his brother replied. The elder Holmes looked John up and down for several moments before nodding swiftly and stepping past them into the dining hall.

Sherlock watched him with narrowed eyes until he closed the door behind him and sighed, "let's go back to my room," he said and pulled John to him, wrapping his arms around the shorter boy's waist, "I'd quite enjoy continuing where we left off," he whispered huskily and smirked. He kissed John softly on the cheek, "don't worry, though. Only kissing tonight," he reassured him and began walking down the hall to the stairway.

John smiled as he left the dining hall with Sherlock, but it dropped from his face as they met Sherlock's brother in the doorway. He could only stare up at the older boy, swallowing thickly as his gaze traveled over him. It was like Mycroft had x-ray vision, he felt so vulnerable. When Mycroft finally passed by, John let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Sherlock's embrace a moment later helped to calm him down. He looked up at the taller boy and turned pink at the suggestion of kissing like they had before. "Sounds good to me." With a grin, he hooked arms with Sherlock as they went back up the stairs to his room.

Sherlock walked them through the door and released John's arm. He sauntered slowly and deliberately over to the bed and laid down, spreading himself out and smiling over at John. He patted the bed next to him, "care to join?" he said huskily.

John couldn't help a little smirk as he watched Sherlock walk. He had _some_ arse. The longer he spent in Sherlock's company, the more attracted to him he became. He felt heat shoot downwards as Sherlock took on the new position and he went over to the bed, deciding to straddle Sherlock. "For someone without any experience, you are very good at this," he said, voice a few octaves lower.

Sherlock gasped as John straddled him and a shiver ran through his body at the other boy's tone. He smirked up at John and ran his finger lightly down the front of his shirt, "just because I don't have experience, doesn't mean I don't know how to use my looks to my advantage." He bucked his hips up once and pulled John down by the back of his head until there was just a breath between them. "It also doesn't mean that I don't intend on finding out every little detail of how to pleasure you, John," he breathed against his lips, smirk back in place as soon as he was finished talking.

John shuddered as Sherlock's fingers trailed down his body and he made a choked sound when Sherlock's hips rubbed up against his. Alright, he was definitely at least bisexual, because he had absolutely no problem with the growing bulge he could feel in Sherlock's trousers. He let himself be pulled down and licked his lips before capturing Sherlock's, rocking his hips forward.

Sherlock groaned into the kiss and this time he didn't waste a moment to shove his tongue into the other boy's mouth. He moaned as their tongues made contact and kissed him as best he could, savoring the feel of John on top of him, grinding down on him and his _**exquisite**_ taste.

Part of John was still surprised not only by Sherlock's eagerness to full on snog, but his talent for it. The other part of him was completely lost in the sensation as he sucked on Sherlock's tongue, even going so far as to gently nip it. His hips continued to roll against Sherlock's, trying to get friction between them, and his hands moved to his chest, smoothing up to his shoulders, then down his body, over to his sides.

Sherlock shook in excitement at the cascade of sensations and let out a long moan, the vibrations of it spreading deliciously through the kiss. After a few minutes, things started to get more intense and with a frustrated groan, he pushed John away. "We have to stop..." he panted, "I won't be able to control myself much longer."

John whined softly as Sherlock pushed him back but he knew that the other boy was right. Even though he wouldn't feel right about doing anything so early, in the moment he could easily forget his morals and go all the way. But when Sherlock spoke, he started to get himself under control with a soft groan. "God, Sherlock...You are incredible."

Sherlock smiled lovingly up at John and reached up to stroke his cheek," so are you, John," he whispered and pulled John down for a hug, embracing him tightly. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into," he murmured. "I won't be able to let you go now, I intend to stay with you as long as I can."

John rolled them over so that they were both on their sides, making it easier to hug Sherlock back. He tucked his head under Sherlock's chin and snuggled into him. "Don't worry. I swear to you, you'll never have to be alone again." He pressed a few gentle kisses to the pale skin of Sherlock's neck. This seemed strange to say when they barely knew each other, but at this point he couldn't imagine them being apart. It was as though Sherlock had always been there or was always supposed to be.

Sherlock smiled and kissed the top of John's head. "You need to call your father, don't you? That is... if you're still planning on staying the night. I have some sleep clothes you can borrow so you don't have to go all the way home."

"Oh yeah." John pulled out his mobile and dialed his house. After a few rings the machine picked up. "Hi da, it's me. I'm um, staying with a friend tonight. Don't worry about clothes, I'm going to borrow some. I'll see you tomorrow!" He hung up and then snuggled against Sherlock again. "There. All taken care of."

Sherlock kissed John on the lips briefly and hugged him tighter before letting him go to get up and grab them both some clothes. As he walked over to his bureau, the butler knocked and after Sherlock told him it was okay to come in, he pushed in a cart with two bowls of dessert. It looked like they were having brownies with ice cream and whipped cream on top, one of Sherlock's favorites.

"Go ahead and start without me, I'll just grab us some clothes and change real quick," Sherlock said and smiled back at John. He pulled his shirt up and over his head, tossing it into the laundry bin.

John sat up on the edge of the bed when Sherlock got up and his mouth watered as dessert was brought in. "Don't mind if I do." He got up and grabbed a bowl, thanking the butler before taking a bite. The brownie was warm and gooey and the cold of the ice cream juxtaposed with the warmth was perfect in his mouth. "Oh God...Do you always eat like this?" he asked Sherlock.

Sherlock slipped out of his trousers and turned to face John, "Usually, yes... Although I don't really eat that much. Tonight was the first time I've had anything since... Hmmm... Tuesday?" He turned to grab a couple shirts from the drawer and turned back, still standing there in just his black cotton pants. "What size shirt do you wear?" he asked John.

John looked up when Sherlock said that he hadn't eaten since Tuesday. It was Friday. "Sherlock, that's not-...not..." His spoon dropped into the bowl as his mouth dropped open. Sherlock was- "Gorgeous..." John blushed as he realised that he had said that out loud, but he couldn't have stopped it if he tried. Sherlock's skin was all pale and smooth, and for someone so skinny he certainly had some toning. Not to mention that without his trousers, John got a much better look at his arse.

Sherlock smirked, even with a blush forming across his face, "thank you, John... However, I don't think that is a proper name of a size." He chuckled and turned to pull on his sleep trousers, staying bent over with his arse turned towards John for a bit longer than necessary.

He walked over and handed John the smallest shirt and bottoms he had, but the bottoms would most likely still be too long for him. He sat cross legged on the bed next to the other boy and started eating his own brownie.

John was snapped out of his trance by Sherlock's quip and he cleared his throat. "Right, um...probably something small..." As Sherlock bent over he knew that he was purposely trying to get his attention and it was all he could do to go back to eating his brownie, face still heated. When Sherlock gave him the pyjamas he set his bowl down and started to undress himself. He pulled his shirt off and folded it, leaving it on top of his shoes, then did the same with his trousers.

Sherlock was still smirking to himself as John started to get undressed. He managed to look up just as the other boy was bending over to step out of his trousers and he gulped down his bite of food. "Dear God..." he gasped, his eyes taking in every detail of John's body. Rugby had _**definitely**_ been kind to him.

He was quite muscular, his skin a few shades darker than Sherlock's and he could barely breathe, overwhelmed by the desire to touch. He slowly dropped his spoon in his bowl and stood up, walking over to John and grabbing onto his hips as he stood. He kissed the side of John's neck, "you, John Watson... are absolutely beautiful," he breathed against his skin.

John jumped a little as Sherlock caught him when he stood, but he relaxed back into the other boy and smirked. A tingle shot down his spine at the feel of Sherlock's lips on his neck and he reached up one hand to card through Sherlock's soft curls. "Well, if I'm beautiful and you're gorgeous, we'll be the best looking couple at school," he murmured.

Sherlock smiled and turned John around to look in his eyes and cup his cheek, "you would be okay with people at school knowing about us?" he asked, honestly surprised that John wouldn't want keep him a secret.

John shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be? I really don't care about what other people think." He leant into Sherlock's touch and looked back into those incredible eyes. "Do you want to keep it a secret?" he asked softly. He would rather not hide it, but whatever Sherlock decided, he would do.

Sherlock thought for a moment, but then shook his head, "No, I don't. As long as I'm with you, I want the world to know it. I don't care if that means more teasing. I would go through anything if it meant I could be with you." He smiled lovingly at John before leaning down and kissing him, this one much less urgent, more loving and slow.

John grinned and kissed him back, putting his hands on Sherlock's shoulders. They stayed that way for a few moments before John pulled back. "I don't know what it is about you...I feel like I've known you forever." He cupped Sherlock's cheek and stared up at him. "It's like we were meant to meet today."

Sherlock sighed happily and placed a kiss to the inside of John's wrist, "I have dreamed of you so much that my arms, grown used to being crossed as I hugged your shadow, would perhaps not bend to the shape of your body. For faced with the real form of what has haunted me and governed me for so many days and years, I would surely become a shadow," Sherlock quoted and placed another kiss, just in the center of John's palm. "That's what you are, John. You're my dream come to life and I'm so glad I finally found you." He spoke softly, holding John close and closing his eyes into the touch on his cheek, holding his hand there.

John gazed up at Sherlock, listening to his deep baritone as he quoted some probably high level piece of classical literature. It was the most beautiful thing that anyone had ever said to him. And as Sherlock finished, he felt like he might cry. "Sherlock...That's the sweetest, most wonderful thing anyone has ever said to me." He rested his head on Sherlock's chest and closed his eyes. "I don't know how I got so lucky to find you."

"I'm the lucky one," Sherlock said and stroked the back of John's head, placing a kiss to the top of it before pulling away and laying down on the bed. "Finish getting dressed and we'll lay here for a while and talk before we sleep. I want to try and spend as much time as I can with you tomorrow." He pulled the covers down and settled under them, waiting for John to join him.

John smiled up at him and pulled away to put on the shirt and sleep trousers that Sherlock had given him. They smelled like him and it felt like he was being hugged by the other boy all over. John slipped into the bed next to Sherlock and moved in close.

Sherlock turned on his side to face John and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close and kissing him on the neck, inhaling the scent of himself and the other boy mingled together. He pulled back and smiled at John, reaching up to brush his hair away from his forehead. "Any ideas as to what you'd like to do tomorrow?"

John hummed softly, holding onto Sherlock as the other boy kissed his neck. He let his eyes flutter shut, just listening to that beautiful deep voice. "I don't know. We can do anything really. Just as long as I'm with you." He rested his cheek in Sherlock's hair, loving how soft and silky his curls were.

Sherlock pushed John until he was laying on his back and rested his head under the shorter boy's chin. He drew patterns on John's chest with his finger, "Mmm... Anything?" he smirked and looked up at John. He suddenly knew exactly where he wanted to take John tomorrow, but he wanted it to be a surprise.

John looked down at Sherlock with curiosity. "Yeah, anything I guess. What do you have in mind?" He arched a little into the touch of Sherlock's figers. He wasn't sure if he was going to want to get up tomorrow, he was so warm and comfortable.

Sherlock smirked, "You'll see," he murmured and kissed John softly on the lips. He snuggled closer to John and kissed his chest, closing his eyes and falling asleep to the sound of John's heartbeat.

John didn't have a chance to question Sherlock further about what they were doing before the other boy had fallen asleep. He sighed fondly and kissed the top of Sherlock's head before closing his eyes. It wasn't long before he was asleep as well.

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Additional Note: The poem excerpt used in this chapter is not written by me... It is from a wonderful poem called "I Have Dreamed Of You So Much" by Robert Desnos


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: We are back with yet another chapter of this fabulous series. We are still writing it and having **so** much fun! We hope you all are enjoying it, please leave us a review if you are and let us know what you think!

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The next morning, Sherlock woke up before John and slipped out of bed to start getting ready. He scrounged through his closet for an outfit that would fit John, finding an old jumper and a pair of jeans he'd outgrown a couple of summers ago.

Once he was dressed himself, he walked back into the bedroom and laid the clothes out on the edge of the bed before crawling onto the mattress and gently straddling John's hips, careful not to wake him yet. He leaned down and started pressing soft kisses all along John's throat and collarbone.

John didn't even notice Sherlock get up, snuggling further into the plush bedding. He was dreaming that Sherlock had wings and was flying with him through the sunset. But then as Sherlock got on top of him and started kissing him, he made a sound and wiggled a little. "Mmm, Sher..." he mumbled in his sleep.

Sherlock smiled against John's skin and latched onto the junction of his shoulder, sucking and licking. His hands ran across the other boy's sides, hiking the shirt up and touching his bare skin. John's skin was so soft and he loved the feel, as well as the taste of it. He hummed in contentment as he finally released John's neck and began placing kisses on different spots of his face.

John squirmed and moaned, still half-asleep. He didn't know if this was a dream or real so he just kept his eyes closed and didn't try to fully wake up. Sherlock's mouth was warm and talented, and he tilted his head over, trying to give him more skin. He really hoped it wasn't a dream. He wanted the mark that would inevitably be left by the attention to the spot. As Sherlock started kissing his face, John's eyes fluttered open at last and he smiled up at Sherlock.

Sherlock smiled brightly in return, looking down at what was possibly the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. John simply glowed in the early morning sunlight and he stroked a hand down his cheek. "Good morning, John," he murmured and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

John leaned into the touch and kissed Sherlock back. "Morning," he said when he pulled back. He looked up at Sherlock, seeing his bed-tousled hair and the sleep just barely present in his eyes. Sherlock was gorgeous like this. "I quite like you being the first thing I see in the morning," John said, running a hand through his curls.

"I would have to agree with you on that," Sherlock said and kissed him quickly again before moving off of his hips. "I've gotten some clothes together for you," he nodded towards the end of the bed, "you can grab some breakfast before we head out, I think I smelled french toast cooking after I got out of the shower, I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

John sat up and stretched, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Thanks," he said, scooping up the clothes. His stomach rumbled at the mention of breakfast and he licked his lips. "French toast sounds fabulous. I hope you don't mind if I take a shower myself." He kissed Sherlock on the cheek, taking the clothes to go find the bathroom.

"Not at all," Sherlock said, "I quite like the idea of you using my shower... it's a pity I've taken mine already or I would join you," he said and winked as John passed by.

John flushed a bit at Sherlock's words as he left the room and the suggestion lingered in his mind. Someday he'd have to take him up on that. He found the bathroom and showered quickly, dressing before he left to go back to Sherlock's room. John stepped in and leaned back against the doorframe. "Ready for breakfast?"

Sherlock walked over and wrapped his arms around John's waist, leaning down to kiss him again. "Mmm... I'll just sit with you while you eat, I'm still okay," he said and smiled.

John kissed him back, leaning against him. He looked up at Sherlock when he talked about not eating again. "Now hang on. You need to eat, Sherlock," he scolded lightly. "Please have a little something for me?"

Sherlock groaned and rolled his eyes, but as soon as he looked at John's face he caved. "Fine," he sighed dramatically and smiled, "but only because you're so adorable when you beg." He kissed John on the nose and headed out the door, chuckling.

John poked his tongue out at Sherlock, but followed him down the stairs, grabbing hold of his hand. He was excited to see what Sherlock had planned, but he also was hungry, and he could smell breakfast from halfway down. He was glad Sherlock had agreed to eat as well. It wasn't good for him to go so long without food.

Sherlock squeezed John's hand and led him to the dining hall. They were alone this time, his parents usually spent the morning in bed on the weekends. The table was already set with two plates of french toast and he pulled the chair out for John again before sitting down himself.

John grinned and took a seat. "Thank you, Mr. Holmes," he said with a wink. He waited for Sherlock to sit before he started to eat. Just like everything else he'd had at Sherlock's house, it was amazing. "I think I'm going to have all my meals here," he said with a mouthful of french toast. "I never eat like this at home."

Sherlock smiled sadly as he took a bite of toast, he felt bad that he had so much while John had so little. It just wasn't fair that someone as amazing as John struggled so much. He shoved his food around his plate, a frown forming on his face.

John looked over to Sherlock smiling, but his face dropped when he saw Sherlock frown. He realized that Sherlock must have been thinking about what he'd just said. He'd inadvertently given away that he had trouble getting three square meals a day. John put a hand over Sherlock's and grinned at him. "Don't worry about me. I'm used to it. Someday it'll all work out."

Sherlock looked up at John when he touched his hand and attempted a smile, "I wish things would work out now. I would do anything to make you happy," he whispered and brought John's hand up to kiss his knuckles.

John felt warmth fill his face and he moved his hand to lace their fingers together. "You are such a sweetheart. I can't believe no one else has scooped you up yet." He finished off the rest of his breakfast and a glass of juice before looking back to Sherlock. "Ready?"

Sherlock nodded and smiled, he was really excited to show John where he was taking him. It was a very special place to him and he hoped he liked it. He stood and grabbed John by the hand, dragging him out the door and through the foyer.

As they went outside, he led them across the lawn to a wooded area. He held back branches for John as they walked and as they got close enough where he could see the clearing, he turned back to John and grabbed both his hands, squeezing them. "Do you trust me?" he asked and smiled.

John followed behind Sherlock, wondering all the while where they might be going. He kept a tight hold of Sherlock's hand, and he thought he could see something in the distance, but then Sherlock stopped and turned to him. John looked up into his eyes and without hesitation he said, "I do." In fact, he might just trust Sherlock with his life.

Sherlock grinned wider and stepped beside John, reaching over and covering his eyes with his hands. He carefully led the shorter boy through the remainder of the woods.

When they reached the clearing, he moved to be behind John, keeping his hands over his eyes. Sherlock leaned in and whispered, "open your eyes," and moved his hands away, wrapping his arms around the other boy's waist.

John rolled his eyes as Sherlock covered them, but he obliged and closed them. He let Sherlock lead him, keeping a hold of his arm until he stopped. He felt him step behind and as his eyes were uncovered, they fluttered open and- "Sherlock...This is beautiful..." John gazed at the clearing, eyes sweeping in wonder from one side to the other.

Sherlock was happy John seemed to enjoy it, this field was one of his favourite places. There was a fallen log that he had found a few years ago and fashioned into a bench on the far end of the field and the entire ground was covered in wildflowers of every color.

"I've never brought anyone here before. This is my special thinking spot, I come here when I've had a particularly bad day and need to clear my mind," he murmured, his head on John's shoulder. He kissed him gently on the cheek and tightened his arms around him, "I wanted to share it with you."

John couldn't believe how gorgeous this place was. The sun was filtering through the canopy of trees, catching on the pollen and making streams of gold light from high up in the sky. And with Sherlock holding onto him, the vibrations of his voice against his back, everything just seemed perfect. He turned around in Sherlock's arms and smiled up at him. "You would share this beautiful place with me?"

"Of course," Sherlock chuckled and leaned down to kiss John on the forehead, "who else would I share this with but you?" He cupped the other boy's cheek in his hand and leaned down to lock their lips together in a passionate kiss, moving his lips softly and slowly against John's.

John felt his chest swelling in with emotion, and poured it into the kiss with Sherlock. He wrapped his arms around the taller boy's neck, tilting his head to make it easier to kiss him. He pulled back after a moment, eyes sparkling and face flushed. "God, Sherlock...You're amazing."

Sherlock blushed, "well, I don't know about all that..." he murmured. Pulling away after a few moments, Sherlock grabbed John by the hand and led him through the field to the log. He sat down and pulled the other boy down to sit on his lap.

John leaned back into Sherlock, sighing in happiness. He could stay like this forever, in the most beautiful place he'd ever seen, in the arms of the boy he lo-...John's thoughts stopped there. Was he already falling in love with Sherlock? He glanced up at him, taking in his handsome face, his unreal eyes, and that adorable mop of curls. His heart skipped a beat and he turned pink. Oh yes. He could definitely be falling in love, hard and fast.

Sherlock put on a lopsided smile and cocked his head to the side, "why are you looking at me like that?" he asked and kissed John on the cheek, "what are you thinking about?"

John blinked rapidly as Sherlock's kiss broke him from his thoughts. He shook his head. "N-nothing..." Love had no place in such a short relationship. Not yet anyway. He couldn't say anything or he might weird Sherlock out. He pressed a kiss to the underside of Sherlock's jaw.

"Mmmm," Sherlock hummed thoughtfully and leaned his head back, urging John to continue. Whatever John was thinking, he wasn't ready to share yet and Sherlock would respect his wishes, however much he wished he knew what was going on in that head of his.

John grinned and placed more kisses along Sherlock's jawline. He trailed them from one side to the other, turning a little to put his hands on Sherlock's shoulders. He hummed against Sherlock's skin and sucked lightly right at the junction of his jaw and neck.

Sherlock moaned softly and swallowed, _okay, that is definitely a sensitive spot_. He grasped at the back of John's head, scratching his nails lightly along his scalp. He could feel himself hardening, but kept himself in check, biting his lip, not wanting to take things too far just yet.

John pressed his lips a little harder to the spot, sucking more firmly. He felt something poking him, letting him know just the effect he was having on Sherlock. John flipped himself around so he was stradling Sherlock, and very gently rocked into him. Pulling his mouth off, John smirked up at Sherlock. That was enough for now.

Sherlock groaned and narrowed his eyes, "bloody tease," he mumbled. He cracked a mischievous smile and grabbed onto John's hips. He swiftly stood and wrapped John's legs around his waist, then started spinning in the middle of the field, laughing loudly and smiling wider than he ever remembered doing before. This was just perfect.

John didn't know what to expect when Sherlock gave him that smile and in the next moment he was being lifted. He squeaked and wrapped his arms around Sherlock's neck, holding on as he spun them around. John laughed as he clung to Sherlock, nestling his head on Sherlock's shoulder.

After a few moments Sherlock collapsed, dizzy and breathless. They ended up on the ground, Sherlock hovering over John. When he caught his breath and stopped laughing, he smiled brightly down at John and brushed the hair away from his face. "You're so beautiful," he whispered and kissed him lightly. "How long can you stay?"

John had to keep his eyes closed as the world was spinning, but he had a smile on his face. He opened them once Sherlock had kissed him and smiled back at the other boy. "I don't have anything going on today. I'll stay as long as you like." He pulled Sherlock down for another quick kiss, finding his lips just couldn't get enough contact with his.

"Mmm... Well, if you did that, I'd never let you leave," Sherlock said and chuckled. He leaned down to press a soft kiss to John's cheek and left his face there, snuggling into his neck.

John wrapped his arms around Sherlock and stroked his back. "Maybe someday I won't have to," he said softly, leaning his cheek in Sherlock's hair. Just then he got an idea, and he turned to look at the flowers beside him. Picking a handful, he started stringing the stems together. It was something Harry had taught him once. When he was finished, he had made a crown of flowers and placed it on Sherlock's head with a smile.

Sherlock sighed, he'd never felt this happy with anyone before and never had he wanted to protect someone an take care of someone as much has he felt with John. He grinned and chuckled as John placed the crown of flowers on his head. "Thank you," he said and kissed John on the neck.

He raised his head and looked into John's eyes, his own searching the other boy's face. His brow furrowed in concentration, "I think... I may be falling in love with you. How can that be? We only just met..." he murmured and shook his head.

John grinned. "You're welcome." He snuggled closer to Sherlock and closed his eyes. He felt like everything had fallen into place somehow. He and Sherlock just...belonged. At Sherlock's words, he felt his heart doing backflips and his cheeks going rosy. "I don't know...But I feel exactly the same," he said, locking eyes with Sherlock's.

Sherlock smiled, "that's good." They spent the rest of the day talking about all sorts of things and exchanging lazy kisses every now and then. When the sun started to set, Sherlock led John back out of the woods and out in front of the house. "Are you sure you can't stay another night? There's plenty of room in my bed, you know," Sherlock smirked and leaned down to nip at John's earlobe.

John hummed softly, wrapping his arms around Sherlock's waist. "Much as I would love to darling, my father will get suspicious if I start spending every night at your house. But here." He opened the compartment on his bike and grabbed a scrap of paper and a pen. He scribbled down his phone number and handed it to Sherlock. "You can text me all night if you like," he said with a wink.

Sherlock took the scrap of paper, "sounds like a deal to me," he said and smiled. He gave John a tight hug and pressed a kiss on the top of his head, "see you Monday, yeah?" he murmured and pulled back, keeping his arms around the shorter boy's waist.

John smiled up at Sherlock and nodded. "Yes, see you then." He gave Sherlock one last kiss, wishing that he didn't have to let go. But he forced himself to pull back, hand trailing down Sherlock's arm to give his hand a squeeze as he fully pulled away. Then he got onto his motorbike and started it, smiling at Sherlock charmingly as he zoomed out of the drive back to his own flat.

Sherlock stood in the driveway and waved until John was out of sight. As he walked back in the house, he saw Mycroft leaning against the stair railing. "So... got yourself a boyfriend, have you?" he said and raised an eyebrow. Sherlock scoffed, "yes, problem?"

Mycroft held his hands out, "none at all, little brother. Just be careful, I don't want to have to secretly drag you to the hospital again because you've gotten beaten up for your... choices." Sherlock only glared at Mycroft and headed up the stairs. Mycroft shook his head and sighed, "I hope that boy knows what he's doing," he said quietly and turned to leave.

Later that night, while lying in bed, he pulled out his mobile and the scrap of paper and typed out a message to John.

_**Hey, love. This is Sherlock, I hope you made it home safely. -SH**_

John sped home, parking his bike outside on the street before climbing up the stairs to his flat. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. "Da! I'm home!" he called. His father was lying on the couch, sleeping. John sighed and draped the blanket over him from the back of the couch before heading to his room. He laid on the bed staring up at the ceiling and holding his phone to his chest. He wondered if he should tell his father that he was falling in love with a boy. Some part of him was afraid. Sometimes his father blamed Harry and her homosexuality for their mother leaving. If John turned out the same...that would probably break him.

Just then, his phone buzzed and he smiled a little. He sent a message back.

_**Hello, darling. I'm fine. Except that I miss you terribly. -JW**_

Sherlock smiled when he heard his phone go off and replied.

_**I miss you too. Only one more day and we'll see each other again. Did you want to meet out front of the school on Monday? -SH**_

_**Sure. We can walk in together. -JW**_

John held the phone close to his heart. He wished that he could hear Sherlock's voice reading the texts. It just wasn't the same imagining.

_**I'll see you then, love. Sleep well and have sweet dreams. -SH**_

Sherlock set his phone on his bedside table and snuggled deeper under the covers. His pillow still smelled like John and he clutched it closer, imagining that he was in bed with the other boy again.

_**Goodnight, my darling. -JW**_

John put his phone down and curled up in his bed. He was still wearing Sherlock's clothes which smelled like him and he pulled off the shirt so that he could bury his face in it.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: We're back with another chapter! The ideas keep on flowing for this one, so we anticipate it will be a very long series. Keep on leaving those reviews, we love the feedback! Warning for major angst in this chapter, keep a box of tissues handy! We adore all of our followers and please, feel free to tell others to read! :-)

PS: We will be posting new chapters every Monday and Friday, in an attempt to not overwhelm ourselves with updates and cause us to have to force ideas. :-)

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Sunday went by a lot slower than Sherlock would have liked. He was forced to attend a brunch his parents set up for a few of their more prominent friends and he snuck texts to John under the table throughout the afternoon of his deductions about the guests. Things ranging from the fact that the new prime minister was trying to quit smoking to the fact that one of the men had been having an affair on his wife for a little over 2 years, but was oblivious that she was cheating on him with his boss.

John spent his Sunday doing chores around the flat and laughing at the various texts that Sherlock sent him about the guests at the brunch. He couldn't help the feeling of inferiority setting in again. Sherlock was at the same table with the PM, and John wasn't going to even have dinner tonight. He sighed as he vacuumed the flat, his last chore for the day.

The rest of Sherlock's day was pretty uneventful and as he stood with his parents as they said goodbye to the last of the guests, he fidgeted anxiously. As he turned to run up the stairs to his room, his father grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. "I hear you have a new friend. I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet him, will he be coming back?"

Sherlock nodded, "Yes sir, although I'm not sure when that will be." His mother stepped up beside his father and linked arms with him, "we'll set up a dinner later on. I'd like for your father to be able to meet your boyfriend very soon, he's such a delightful boy!"

Sherlock's eyebrows shot up, "I... he..." he stuttered. His mother laughed, "Sherlock dear, you honestly think we didn't know? Come now, you know where you get that intuition from." she winked and to Sherlock's surprise, his father was not angry, but smiling.

His mother walked away, leaving them alone and his father patted him on the back, "I don't care who you date, son, as long as they make you happy. You can't choose who you fall in love with, after all, eh?" he winked and Sherlock nodded before he walked away.

That night, he slept well, dreaming of him and John in the field lying on a blanket and just holding each other.

John was lying on the couch when his father came home in between his first and second shifts. He was absently flipping through the telly, and his father plopped down near his feet. John smiled, sitting up. "How was work?"

His father sighed and rubbed his face. "They're still trying to get me worked into the whole ordeal," he said. "But it should get better. How was your day?"

John shrugged. "Well, I just cleaned like usual." And texted his boyfriend constantly. "Now I'm here." His stomach growled and he curled up trying to muffle it.

Mr. Watson frowned. "It's all going to work out," he said, seeming like he was trying to convince himself more than John. Then he stood and walked off to his room, getting changed for his next job. John just couldn't tell him. His father would be so disappointed. Flopping back on the couch, he closed his eyes, just wishing for tomorrow.

The next morning, Sherlock got dressed quickly and ran out the door, eager to get to school. He got in the car with Mycroft and buckled up. "Someone's eager today," Mycroft teased. "Shut up," Sherlock grumbled and they drove off.

When they reached the front of the school, Sherlock looked around for John, but didn't see him. He sat on the steps and waited, checking his watch every couple minutes. _Surely he'll be here soon..._

John was up much earlier than usual Monday morning. He sped on his bike all the way, swerving between cars and getting honked at by quite a few cars. He finally made it and parked out on the edge of the lot, then sprinted towards the entrance of the school. He could see Sherlock on the steps and his heart leaped in joy. "Sherlock!" he called, waving his arm in the air as he approached.

Sherlock looked up and smiled at the sound of his name. He stood and waited for John to get closer. "Hey," he said softly, grinning and stood with his hands by his side, fidgeting awkwardly. He wasn't sure what to do, not knowing what kind of greeting John would be comfortable with in public.

John stood face to face with Sherlock, moving up a few steps so they were at eye level. "Hey," he said with a grin. He had thought that Sherlock would have swept him up and kissed him by now. But then he noticed the slight tenseness to his posture and he rolled his eyes fondly. "Come here, you." He pulled Sherlock into his arms and kissed him hard. He couldn't do this at home but he didn't give a damn what the people thought at school.

Sherlock smiled into the kiss and wrapped his arms around the shorter boy's waist, ignoring the whistles from their classmates. He pulled away and out of the corner of his eye he saw Sebastian and a couple of other rugby players. Sebastian had his arms crossed in front of his chest and he was shaking his head.

Sherlock looked back down at John, "Come on, we'll be late for our first class," he said and twined their fingers together as he led them inside.

John could hear all the other students around them as he kissed Sherlock, but he didn't care. All that mattered was Sherlock and his glorious lips. When Sherlock pulled back and took his hand, he couldn't help the feeling of excitement going through him. Yes, there would be talk. People always talked. But he was proud of it. He was on the arm of the most beautiful boy in school, and if anyone had a problem with that they could shove it up their arse.

Sherlock didn't have any classes together with John until the afternoon, so he walked him to his first class and gave him a kiss on the cheek before going to his own.

At lunchtime, they met in the cafe and John walked off to grab them both a drink. While he was away, Sebastian approached the table and sat across from Sherlock, glaring at him. "You better stay away from John, freak. I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to corrupt him, make him a freak like you, but that's not going to happen."

Sherlock smirked, "Oh yeah? Well, in case you haven't noticed, he feels the same about me as I do about him, so just piss off Moran." Sebastian raised an eyebrow, "Oh, I see. We'll just have to do this the hard way then." He grabbed Sherlock's apple off his tray and bit into it violently before turning and walking away.

John just caught Moran leaving as he was coming back and rushed over to the table. "What happened? Did he try to hurt you?" he asked, concerned. He wished he could have been there in the moment to tell him to back off, but Sherlock seemed unscathed.

Sherlock waved his hand dismissively, "no, just a bunch of talk. I'm fine, really," he reassured John. He smiled and pulled him down to whisper in his ear, "you know, you're really quite attractive when you get protective," he murmured. He pulled back with a grin and winked.

John tried hard not to blush, but he did anyway. He leaned closer to Sherlock, settling in against his side. "Well, you're quite attractive all the time," he murmured, smiling up at him wryly.

Lunch went by without further incident, but Sherlock could feel the glare coming from Sebastian a few tables over and he watched as he whispered something into the cheer captain Mary Morstan's ear. She nodded and looked over at them briefly before walking back to her own table.

Sherlock shrugged it off, _probably nothing to worry about._ Sherlock managed to sit next to John during the rest of their classes and made sure to tease him relentlessly with lingering touches and whispered flirtations.

When the final bell rang, they walked into the hall together, but they were stopped by Mary before they went outside. "John, can I speak to you for a moment? Alone?" she said sweetly and glanced over at Sherlock.

John quite enjoyed having Sherlock in his class, and sitting next to him. It made for an interesting, and entertaining, experience. And he decided that the moment that they got some alone time he was going to show Sherlock exactly how it felt to be teased like that.

John followed Sherlock, glad the school day was finally over. He didn't expect Mary Morstan to be standing in their way, and definitely not asking to speak with him. They'd shared all of two words since he'd transferred there. He wondered what might be going on. Glancing at Sherlock and shrugging, he decided there was no harm in seeing what she wanted. So he let go of his hand with a smile and followed her around a corner. "What is it?"

Sherlock watched as they walked away and shook his head. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around. There stood Sebastian and all the other rugby players. Sebastian had that evil smirk he was so good at on his face and backed Sherlock against the lockers.

Sherlock would like to say he wasn't scared, but he was terrified. Sebastian chuckled, "well, well... It's my favorite freak. Where's your boyfriend, hmm?" the other players laughed.

"He... he'll be back soon, he just went to talk to someone," Sherlock stuttered and swallowed. Sebastian grinned, "Oh, you mean Mary? Yeah... They'll probably be a while." Sherlock furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

Sebastian moved in closer and put his hand around Sherlock's throat, "oh, well Mary has decided she has a crush on John... wants him to fuck her. I'd say they're probably taking care of business right this second," Sebastian said and grinned.

Sherlock shook his head, "no... John said... He cares about me, he... He's falling in love with me." Sebastian let out a loud laugh, "You hear that boys? Freak here actually thinks John cares about him!" The other players started laughing loudly along with Sebastian.

"Look, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. John doesn't care about you. All he wants is sex. Now that he has an extremely sexy girl to give it to him, he doesn't need you."

Sherlock felt tears come to his eyes, "no..." he said weakly. Sebastian tightened his grip on Sherlock's throat, "I told you to stay away from him, he's not like you," he growled before punching Sherlock in the jaw.

Sherlock fell to the ground and barely had time to react before all the boys started pounding on him. He whimpered John's name over and over as his whole body was pummeled, wracked with pain. He tried to ward them off, but there were so many of them coming at him in different directions. He managed to yell out John's name one last time before a well placed kick to his head knocked him unconscious.

John did not expect Mary to push him against the wall, nor did he expect her mouth to press to his a second later. He scrunched up his face in disgust. It was all wrong. Pushing her back, John resisted spitting on the floor next to her with how grossed out he was. "Look, Mary, I don't know what you think you're doing, but in case you haven't noticed, I have a boyfriend." But Mary didn't look upset in the least. In fact, she had a smirk on her face, and John's heart plummeted into his stomach. He should have known there was something strange going on.

John sprinted back down the hall, coming close enough to hear Sherlock's last cry of his name. Turning the corner he found the rugby team surrounding the other boy, who wasn't moving or making any more sound. And that was all it took for John Watson to snap.

With a sudden rush of adrenaline, John ripped the rugby players away, flinging them into walls and lockers and each other until he reached Sebastian Moran. He got a special treatment. John whipped him around by the shoulder and decked him in the face, knocking him to the ground. Then he dropped beside Sherlock and his heart cracked at the sight of him. "Sherlock! Oh, God. Hang on." He scooped the boy into his arms and took off at a run. Luckily, Sherlock's irregular eating habits left him rather lightweighted.

He dashed out to the car park but then realized that he couldn't take Sherlock to the hospital on a bike. What could he do before the rugby players regained themselves and gave chase?

Just then, Mycroft pulled up in his car and rolled down the passenger window. "Get in... Hurry!" he said firmly and reached over to open the door for John.

John nearly cried in relief. He put Sherlock in and climbed in after, shutting the door so they could speed off. John held Sherlock's unconscious form close to him as tears finally fell. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone. God, I'm such an idiot." He rubbed his fists against his eyes, trying to calm down.

"John, although we've never talked before and we haven't really met, I have observed your interactions with my brother. I feel it's safe to say that you care about him enough that you would not intentionally leave him to get hurt. Now, stop blaming yourself, it's not doing any good. Do what you can to stop that bleeding from his head. In case you haven't noticed, it's flowing rather heavily," he reached around to hand John a rag to press to the wound.

John sniffed a few times as he caught the rag. Mycroft was right, he needed to focus. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed. He repositioned Sherlock so that he could press the rag to his head, and kept the pressure on as they continued towards the hospital. Sherlock would be alright, he just had to be.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Here is another chapter for our faithful readers! We are so glad that so many of you are enjoying this story enough to favorite and follow it. There's **so** much more to come, we just keep having great ideas for this series. Reviews are always welcome, they keep us writing! Keep that box of tissues handy, this one is a tear jerker!

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Mycroft drove as fast as he could to the hospital and pulled the car in front of the door to the A & E. He got out and opened the door for John so he could carry Sherlock inside. "Take him in, I'm going to park the car and I'll be there to fill out the papers," he said sternly to John and got back in the car.

"Right." John scooped Sherlock back into his arms, running into the building. As soon as they saw him, the workers scrambled to get a stretcher and laid Sherlock out on it, wheeling him away. John didn't want to leave him but they wouldn't let him back so he sat in the waiting room, wringing his hands. He'd be okay. They were helping him now.

A couple of hours later, a nurse came out to speak with John and Mycroft. "He's stabilized now, but still unconscious. He suffered from several broken ribs, a broken arm, several lacerations, a concussion and a collapsed lung. It might take him a while to wake up, but you can go in and see him now." The nurse led them back to Sherlock's room where he was lying on the bed, bandages covering the worst of his injuries and the heart monitor beeping steadily beside him.

John spent the entirety of his waiting time just thinking in silence. All he wanted was Sherlock, to know that he was definitely alright. Alive. When the nurse came out he let out a breath that he hadn't realised he was holding, and jumped up to follow her back.

Inside the room, John felt tears welling in his eyes again. He took the chair that was closest to the bed, gingerly taking Sherlock's limp hand in both of his and kissing it. And to think Sherlock had said this wasn't the first time he'd been like this. John closed his eyes and bowed his head, keeping hold of Sherlock's hand as if he might disappear if he didn't.

Mycroft stood in the doorway, observing the whole scene for a few moments before he entered the room and sat down next to John. "He loves you, you know. He may not have admitted it yet because he feels like it's too soon and he's used to holding everything in, but he does."

He was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "I am not sure of your intentions, so forgive me if I've come off as a bit callous. I do care for my brother as much as he likes to pretend otherwise. I was here by his side the last time he ended up like this. All I need to know is that you will take care of my brother. That you will be there for him as long as he needs you to be, which may very well be the rest of his life." Mycroft finished his speech and looked at John, awaiting his response.

John turned to Mycroft at those words, eyes wide and heart pounding. He looked back to Sherlock, the amazing boy that had just happened to come into his life through a bit of good timing and swallowed a lump in his throat. He couldn't deny it. He loved him already.

John listened to Mycroft as he spoke, not once taking his eyes off of Sherlock until he was done. Then he slowly turned back towards him and nodded once. "I...I love him, too. He's so special," he said quietly. Then with more determination he continued, "I swear, I never had anything but good intentions and that won't change. I will take care of him and protect him and stay with him as long as he wants me around."

Mycroft nodded once and stood. He patted John on the shoulder, "you'll be good for him. I'll be watching you both, make sure you take good care of my brother," he said firmly and smiled a little before walking out of the room.

Several hours passed before Sherlock awoke and when he did, he blinked his eyes rapidly before looking down, seeing a hand linked with his own. He looked back up to see who it was and was shocked to see John sitting there, having convinced himself that he wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore. "John?" he said, his voice rough.

John sat and waited, nearly falling asleep with how long Sherlock was out for. He was almost afraid that he wouldn't wake up. But after a while he finally heard the raspy sound of his name in a familiar baritone and he looked up, eyes instantly watering. "Sherlock..." He stood and peered over him from the edge of the bed. He smiled and a tear slipped down his cheek. "Hi..." he said for lack of anything better.

Sherlock frowned, "why are you here? Did Mary decide she was done with you?" he said, bitterness creeping into his voice and tears beginning to fall down his cheeks. He looked away, not wanting to look into John's eyes as he rejected him.

"What?" John didn't understand and he felt a bit stung. Had Moran and the others said something to Sherlock while he was gone? "I didn't do anything with her," he said, trying to turn his face to meet his eyes.

Sherlock turned his head and looked into John's eyes, searching his face for any signs of deception. His own eyes were red, tears still spilling from them. "I... I would understand if you did. She's very... aesthetically pleasing and she is a girl..." Sherlock's voice broke, he knew that John wasn't gay and there was a chance that when he was faced with a willing female that he would jump at the chance. He did still care about John and it hurt to think he would do that, but Moran's words kept ringing in his head. _He's not like you. _

"Sherlock, stop," John said softly, his own tears resurfacing because of Sherlock's. "I would never do that to you." He brushed a few stray tears from Sherlock's pale cheeks and bent to kiss his forehead. "I don't want some random girl that I don't even know. I want you. I..." He paused, swallowing thickly. "I love you." He flushed and looked away. "I know it seems too soon but I just...even if it's not full on yet, I know it's going to happen."

Sherlock's eyes widened in shock, "you... love me?" he reached up with his hand that wasn't connected to the IV and turned John's face towards his. "John, I... I love you, too. I was just so scared to tell you. Afraid it would be too soon and you would run away from me. And when Moran told me that you were probably off shagging Mary... It hurt." His voice broke off at the end, not sure what else he could say.

John gave a watery smile and bent to kiss Sherlock once. "I know. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left with her. It just hadn't occured to me that she was a distraction so they could get to you." He bit his lip against the tears that just wouldn't stop. "I could never run away from you, Sherlock. No matter what happens, I promise I'll always be there for you. But you have to trust me, ok? Even if everyone tells you differently, I will always love you."

Sherlock nodded and pulled John down by his arm to wrap his arms around him. He started sobbing, "I love you so much, John. I'm so glad you're still here."

John carefully climbed into the bed, moving around the various wires hooked up to his boyfriend, and he laid down next to him, hugging Sherlock back. "It's okay. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." He rubbed Sherlock's back, trying to calm him down.

Sherlock fell asleep after a few moments and when he awoke a few hours later, he was glad to see that John was still there. Mycroft managed to convince the doctor that he would be under constant care at home, so the doctor agreed to release him.

He spent the whole ride home holding John's hand tightly and leaning his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. He almost fell asleep again, but woke once they pulled into the driveway. With John's help, he made it up the stairs and into his room.

John watched Sherlock as he slept, pressing soft kisses to his face and whispering sweet things in his ear. He was more than happy to help him walk when they left, and to be a pillow on the ride home. When they arrived at the house, John did most of the work for Sherlock to be able to make it up all the stairs to his room.

He gently laid him on the bed before climbing in with him and pulling him into an embrace. Of course, he was careful to avoid all his injuries as he did so. "How do you feel, darling?" he asked gently, stroking Sherlock's hair.

Sherlock snuggled into John, "I'm a little sore, but okay otherwise." He looked up at John, "how are you? You're the one who had to find me... like that," he said softly and started tracing patterns on John's chest.

John's arms instinctively went tighter around Sherlock, but then he loosened them, hoping he hadn't hurt him. "It was...scary," he admitted. "Seeing you, not moving, blood everywhere..." He buried his face in Sherlock's hair. "I will _**never**_ let that happen again."

Sherlock smiled and cupped John's cheek. "Thank you," he whispered and leaned up to kiss him. He let a small whimper out, part of him not expecting to ever get to do this again, but John was here and he wasn't going to leave. So Sherlock let his desperation out through the kiss, opening wide for John and stroking his tongue along the inside of his mouth.

John could feel Sherlock's emotions in the way he was kissing, so he tried to channel his own back to him. He wanted to reassure him that nothing was going to separate them, and that he cared about Sherlock so much. John hated to see Sherlock so worried that he was going to turn around and leave. He knew that he had a lot of insecurities so it would take a while for him to solidly convince Sherlock that he was here to stay. But that was alright with John. He would keep trying until the end of time.

Sherlock could feel the love and admiration practically drenching their kisses and he moaned loudly. Somehow, he managed to straddle John without parting their lips, but found he had to a few moments later to breathe. "John..." he panted against the shorter boy's lips.

He closed his eyes and rested their foreheads together, desperately wanting to go further than they had before, but unsure if John wanted the same and was ready.

John made a soft sound as Sherlock moved to straddle him. For someone who had recently been beaten by a team of burly teenagers, he was in good shape. He wrapped his arms around Sherlock's neck, holding him close even as they both gasped for air. He looked up into Sherlock's face and he could read it, the desire. He could also feel it poking against his own. Were they ready for this? They did love each other. It wasn't meaningless...

"Sherlock...I'm not a virgin, but I don't know anything about having sex with a boy," he said quietly, face flushed. "Can we...work up to the real thing?" John hoped that Sherlock wouldn't be hurt by this. He did want to do something with him, but he felt like they should wait on full sex for the time being.

Sherlock nodded, "I actually _**am**_ a virgin... about everything," he blushed and bit his lip. "That would work best for me too, but... I don't know where to start, how to... please you," he breathed. As enthusiastic as he was to continue, Sherlock was a bit nervous, but this was John. John loved him and he would be gentle with him.

John nodded, understanding. He gently flipped them over so Sherlock was on his back beneath him. "I'll take care of you first, my love. Tell me if anything is too much for you." He bent to kiss Sherlock, hands working the button of his trousers.

Sherlock focused his entire being on John. The feel of his lips against his own, his taste, how it felt to have him pressed against his chest, his hand on his- _oh..._ John had managed to undo Sherlock's trousers and he bit back a moan at the feeling of his fingers lightly touching his most intimate area through the thin cotton of his pants.

John pulled Sherlock's trousers down to his knees, and then pulled away to look into his eyes. "I can leave the pants on, if you want," he said, voice husky. He wanted Sherlock to be comfortable and he didn't know how he felt about being completely exposed.

Sherlock shook his head, "No, I want to feel you everywhere," he murmured and looked into John's eyes, trying to convey how much he trusted him in just one look.

John met Sherlock's eyes, seeing exactly what he was supposed to see. Sherlock trusted him and it made him feel that much better about this. With both his hands, he pulled down Sherlock's pants and revealed his fully aroused length. John wrapped his fingers around it and slowly stroked, the rough skin feeling different in his hand than his own, but so good.

Sherlock bucked his hips up into the touch and he let loose a loud, throaty moan. His fists were clenched in the bed sheets, "God... _**John**_," he groaned. He loved this, feeling so alive and so much pleasure was shooting through his system.

John couldn't help a sound of his own. Watching Sherlock succumb to his minstrations was incredibly hot. He moved his hand faster, pumping the entire length and trying to get Sherlock to moan like that again.

Sherlock let another moan out and whimpered. "Please, John... Need to feel you... Please," he whined, unable to speak in complete sentences. He decided to show John what he meant and reached down to start undoing his boyfriend's trousers with shaking hands.

John didn't understand what Sherlock meant until he started to undo his trousers. He bit his lip as Sherlock's fingers ghosted over him and he let go of him for a moment to brush Sherlock's hands away. He opened his trousers, pulling them and his pants down together and kicking them off. John straddled Sherlock, rocking into him with a groan.

"Oh God..." Sherlock groaned and grabbed onto John's hips, pulling him closer against him. He pressed their lips together for another sloppy kiss before reaching down to grab onto John's cock, pumping it a few times before wrapping his hand around both of them. He had read about this before, but he had no idea how pleasurable it could be. He moaned loudly and threw his head back, not caring how much noise he made anymore.

John moved closer as Sherlock pulled him and he kissed him back fervently. As Sherlock's hand wrapped around him, he bucked into it, hips out of his control. And when Sherlock pressed both of them together..._Oh, dear God._ No sex that he had ever had before could even compare to this one moment. John rocked into Sherlock's hand, the friction of his hand and cock driving him wild. With his hands now free, John could explore Sherlock's body, hands roaming over the smooth skin.

The increased stimulation that came with John's hands running across his skin pushed Sherlock that much closer to the edge. "John... Oh, John... _**my**_ John," Sherlock moaned almost like a mantra and the nails of his free hand dug into the other boy's hip in his attempt to warn him how close he was to climax.

John was getting close as well, the feeling of being this way with Sherlock was so overwhelming. Even just Sherlock's words were enough to make him groan and choke out, "Yes, _**yes**_, Sherlock...I'm yours..." He carded one hand through Sherlock's hair, bringing it to the back of his neck. He bent low to kiss Sherlock's jaw, moving from there to his neck. His other hand went to Sherlock's on his hip, grabbing it and threading their fingers together as he started to teeter over.

Sherlock groaned, everything seeming to crash down on him all at once. He held on as long as he could until he came with a gasp, his whole body jerking with the force of his orgasm. He leaned in to whisper in John's ear, "finish for me, love... that's it... just let go, let me feel you... let me hear you."

John felt Sherlock coming apart beneath him and it brought him that much closer to finishing. But what really set him over the edge was Sherlock speaking in that low tone right in his ear. He bucked hard into Sherlock's hand, crying out loudly. "Oh, fuck, Sherlock!" With one more thrust he cried out and came, riding through the most powerful orgasm he'd ever had.

Sherlock wrapped his arms around John and placed a gentle kiss on his temple, rubbing his back until he was able to calm his breathing. "So beautiful," he murmured and smiled happily.

John had collapsed against Sherlock, breathing heavily. When he could finally speak he looked up at Sherlock and just shook his head in wonder. "Incredible..." he breathed, and then settled his head on Sherlock's chest. He had no intention of moving from that spot or away from Sherlock ever.

Sherlock grinned, "yeah? I mean... I know it was fantastic for me, but I've never done anything sexual before," he said and chuckled. He pulled John closer to him and nuzzled into his hair.

"Well, it was different this time. They say that it's always better with someone you love." John smiled and trailed his finger along Sherlock's chest in swirling patterns.

Sherlock kissed John on the top of his head and then leaned his cheek against it. "Well then, I suppose I'll never know how it feels to make love with someone I don't feel that way for."

John kissed Sherlock's chest and closed his eyes. "No, you won't." He yawned a little. Today had been rather exhausting.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: We're back with another chapter! We are **still** writing this series, so no worries on it ending anytime soon, we should have plenty of chapters yet to come. Keep those reviews coming! There's nothing that makes our day like hearing your lovely feedback on how much you're enjoying the story! :-)

PS, A happy late birthday to Sherlock! 159 years... wow! Thanks Arthur Conan Doyle for bringing us the greatness that is Sherlock Holmes, we salute you sir! Wish you were still with us so I could thank you in person.

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John spent the night with Sherlock, sleeping comfortably in the arms of his boyfriend. The next morning when he woke up, Sherlock was still asleep. He smiled and kissed the underside of his jaw, not trying to wake him.

"Mmm," Sherlock mumbled in his sleep and held John tighter, nuzzling the top of his head. He didn't want to wake up and he didn't want to move. He'd never been more comfortable than he was right now.

John continued to kiss him, wanting to do what Sherlock had done to him the other day. He nipped gently at the skin and started sucking on the spot. His hand rested on Sherlock's side and smoothed it up and down.

Sherlock moaned, still half asleep, but once he figured out what his boyfriend was doing he smirked. He lay perfectly still and tried to keep his breathing even so John would think he was still sleeping.

John continued what he was doing, delighting in Sherlock's response. He licked over the mark and moved to another spot, starting again. If Sherlock stayed asleep much longer he would wind up covering his neck in marks.

Sherlock moaned again, unable to keep his arousal from getting stronger. He sighed contentedly and raised his arms as slowly as he could so he didn't alert his lover and then grabbed onto John's bare arse.

John was busily sucking a mark onto Sherlock when he felt the grip on his backside. He jumped and pulled away to look up at his boyfriend. "You little brat." He sat up and rolled off of Sherlock, poking his tongue out at him.

Sherlock followed him, straddling his waist and managing to latch onto his tongue before it retreated and chase it back into his mouth. He kissed John deeply for a few moments before moving to his jaw and kissing his way down his neck. He moved further down until he swiped his tongue along John's nipple and winked up at him before pulling the duvet over his head.

John didn't have time to react before Sherlock was upon him and kissing him. He kissed back with fervor, his arousal already working up just with that. A moan escaped him and he tilted his head to give Sherlock more skin. As Sherlock moved to his nipple he arched up. "Oh, Sherlock..." He could only imagine what Sherlock had in mind when he hid under the duvet, but he had an idea. And his cock twitched in anticipation.

Sherlock nipped at John's hip bones and then his thighs before he licked the tip of his cock experimentally. He went back into his mind palace and dug out everything he had read on the Internet about fellatio and inhaled deeply before relaxing his throat muscles and taking as much as he could in his mouth.

John pushed his hips up, unable to see what Sherlock was doing while he was hidden beneath the blanket. But the surprise of the sensations was making them all the better. His breath was rapid and he gripped the sheets as Sherlock licked him. And then, _oh dear God_! His head fell back with a moan and he bucked up into Sherlock's mouth. For someone inexperienced he was incredible at this.

Sherlock mentally smirked at John's reaction, loving the sounds he was making. He wrapped his tongue around John and bobbed up and down in a steady rhythm. After a few moments, his throat had relaxed enough for him to take John deeper so he did... until he felt the head of his cock bump against the back of his throat. He swallowed experimentally to see how John would react.

John jerked up into Sherlock's mouth, so wet and warm and talented. He fisted more tightly into the sheets and groaned loudly, trying to get deeper. Little did he know Sherlock was about to grant his wish. As he felt his lover deep throating him he...oh he nearly lost it right there. "Fuck, Sherlock!"

Sherlock decided then and there that the sound of John screaming his name in pleasure was his favourite sound in the world. He moved his head up and down, swallowing occasionally, trying to evoke more sounds out of his lover.

John was completely lost in the pleasure. Sherlock was just...oh, he could die. He let himself be taken over, his body reacting automatically and making his hips buck wildly. John cried Sherlock's name again, eyes squeezed shut, fists nearly ripping the sheets.

Sherlock reached up and rolled John's testicles in his palm as he continued to suck and lick, dipping his tongue into John's slit and working him as fast as he could, trying to bring him closer to climax.

"Oh, God...Oh, Sherlock!" John was so close, he was literally shaking. He cried out again and again, getting closer and closer. And then Sherlock's hand was on him and he was moving faster, pushing John over completely. He came hard and fast, thrusting into Sherlock's mouth.

Sherlock swallowed as fast as he could, wanting John to know he would gladly take all he had to give. After John was completely spent he made sure that every last drop was licked away before sliding back up and kissing John languidly as he recovered. He could feel his own arousal throbbing between his legs, but that could wait. This moment was too perfect.

John panted, slumping backwards as he tried to collect himself. He kissed Sherlock back, able to taste himself on those lips. When Sherlock pulled away, John wrapped his arms around the other boy and held him close. "Shit, Sherlock. You are amazing."

Sherlock smiled and pulled John closer until they were flush against each other, "Mmm... only because you make me that way. You bring out the best in me, love," he murmured and kissed John softly again.

John blushed a little at the compliment and he kissed Sherlock back. He could feel Sherlock's own erection against his leg, and smirked. "I guess it's your turn now, isn't it?" He gave Sherlock a wicked grin as he moved to flip them over. He started trailing kisses down his body, enjoying the pale smooth skin beneath his lips.

Sherlock smiled, "you really don't ha-..." he started, but was interrupted when John flipped them over. "Well, okay... if you insist," he chuckled and it quickly turned into a moan as he felt John's lips on his skin. He reached down to stroke his fingers through his boyfriend's hair softly.

John moved from Sherlock's chest to his stomach, down to his hips. But he passed over Sherlock's crotch and went to his legs, teasing them open. He placed soft kisses to the inside of one of Sherlock's thighs, hand smoothing over the skin of the other.

"Nnnngh, John..." Sherlock groaned and tightened his grip in his boyfriend's hair. His heart was pounding and his hips bucked up, showing his impatience.

John could tell Sherlock was getting desperate and he smirked, finally moving his mouth to his throbbing cock. He took just the head into his mouth, sucking lightly. He knew it would drive Sherlock crazy, but he wanted to see how long Sherlock could last like this.

Sherlock was about to tell John to hurry the hell up when he felt his lips enclose the tip of his arousal. "_**Fuck**_," he breathed and whimpered, still desperate for _so_much more.

John slowly moved downward, taking in more and more until he was halfway. Part of him was chuckling on the inside. He'd always been the one getting, not giving. It was so different, and yet now he found he could give to Sherlock exactly what he'd want done to him.

Sherlock moaned low in his throat, "God, John... That feels... _amazing_," he groaned and tried his hardest not to buck up into the warmth and wetness of John's mouth. He loved this and knew he'd never get tired of being intimate with John because the sensations were just indescribably good.

John started bobbing his head, each time he came down moving lower on Sherlock. He relaxed his throat, willing Sherlock to use his mouth if he wanted to. He felt a bit cheeky and moved one hand underneath his boyfriend, slipping a finger between the cheeks of his arse to tease him.

"Oh..." Sherlock gasped and was caught between wanting to buck up into John's mouth and push back onto his finger so he rolled his hips forward and then back, trying to let his boyfriend know that he wanted it all.

John understood Sherlock's silent desire and he pulled his finger away, reaching it up for Sherlock to suck on. He honestly felt like he could have fully fucked him right then and there if he hadn't just been sucked off himself.

Sherlock eagerly took John's finger into his mouth, sucking and licking on it until it was dripping wet. "Now... _God_, John... please," he whimpered and thrust his hips forward into his mouth.

John slipped his finger back under him, swirling it around Sherlock's entrance and then pushing in. He thrust his finger in time with the bobbing of his head.

Sherlock inhaled sharply as John's finger penetrated him and he groaned again, overwhelmed with all the sensations. As he went deeper, he felt him brush against his prostate and arched his back off the bed in pleasure. "Shit! Oh _fuck_..." he moaned.

John couldn't believe how hot this was. He wished he could get hard again, because this was perfect wank fodder. Sherlock writhing and moaning like this..._Oh God. _He increased the speed of his movements, knowing Sherlock must be close to the edge. He wanted him to climax, wanting to take everything he gave.

Sherlock kept bucking his hips back and forth, thrusting up into John's mouth before rocking back and impaling himself on his finger. His orgasm hit him hard and he cried out John's name as he trembled through his release.

John swallowed again and again, the taste of Sherlock filling him. He pulled his finger out and pulled off of Sherlock, licking him clean. He crawled back up the bed and kissed his boyfriend. "You are gorgeous, you know."

Sherlock just laid there panting for a few moments, trying to catch his breath and gather his wits. He pulled John close to him and kissed him, "that... was the single most amazing thing I have ever experienced," he said, grinning like a mad man.

He just held John for a few moments and gave him soft kisses every so often before pulling back and smiling lovingly at him. "My father wants to meet you... He and my mum have already figured out that we're together," he chuckled and held John closer.

John laughed a little. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." He stayed still in Sherlock's arms, just enjoying the closeness in their post-orgasm bliss. When Sherlock mentioned about meeting his father, he couldn't help but think about his own father. Could he ever even introduce Sherlock to his father? And then-

"Oh, shit! I forgot to call my father yesterday and I never came home." He sat up and went to grab his mobile, but then he realized that he hadn't answered Sherlock. "I'd love to meet your father, Sherlock. Before I go home." He smiled at him broadly even though he was a bit nervous.

Sherlock frowned for a moment when John's back was turned, _what was up with him?_, but quickly smiled when he turned back around. "That sounds perfect, Mycroft can drive you to school if you're going today, I'm supposed to stay out for the rest of the week to recover, but I'll ride with you to drop you off," he said and started to get dressed while John called his father.

John wanted to stay with Sherlock, but he really didn't have an excuse to stay out of school himself. "I'll come back straight after school." He kissed Sherlock on the cheek as he heard the phone click. "Hello? Da?"

"John, where are you? You never came home!" His father was shouting so loud that John had to pull his phone away for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Da. I was with my, uh, friend. There was an emergency and I stayed with him."

"You should have called, John. You scared me," he said a bit more calmly.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm coming home soon, I promise."

"Alright. Be careful. Good bye."

John said goodbye and hung up, sighing. "Guess I'd better get ready."

Sherlock frowned as he heard John refer to him as his friend and climbed back in bed. He nodded when he got off the phone, "yes, you should do that," he murmured and snuggled deeper under the covers. "I think I'll just stay here, I'm not feeling well. Mycroft can still take you to school."

John frowned as he was getting dressed and stopped halfway. "Are you sure you're alright? Maybe I can convince my father to let me stay here for the day." He sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed back Sherlock's curls. Those idiots on the team were going to pay for it.

"I'll be fine, just a headache," he lied, "you should go to school, no reason for you to miss just because of me." He felt his heart clench and pulled away slightly from John's touch. He was hurt that John wouldn't tell his father about him and the likelihood of him ever being introduced to his boyfriend's father didn't look so good.

John didn't miss Sherlock pulling away from him and he bit his lip. Had he done something wrong? He hated to leave like this but he did have to go to school. "Alright...I'll see you after school then." He finished getting dressed and stood for a moment, feeling like he should say something but he didn't know what. So he just whispered, "I love you," and left the room.

Sherlock stayed silent until John left and then he let the tears start to fall down his cheeks. If John really loved him, he wouldn't be ashamed to tell his father about him and he couldn't get rid of the pain he felt deep in his stomach over it.

He tossed and turned before sighing and getting out of bed, putting on some shoes and after waiting long enough that John and Mycroft were probably gone, he walked outside and out to the clearing to spend the day. He couldn't stay in his room, there was too much on his mind.

John felt awful the entire ride to school. He just knew he had done something wrong, but he couldn't figure it out. He had to make it up to Sherlock somehow. He decided that he would stop somewhere after school before he went back to Sherlock's house.

During the course of the school day, John received quite a few glares from the rugby team, and was quite happy to see the swollen face of Sebastian Moran, even as he was flipped off. He just hoped that the other boy had learned his lesson. No one was going to touch John Watson's boyfriend ever again.

But even while basking in the humiliation of the rugby team being taken out by one short boy, he couldn't stop thinking about Sherlock. He would do whatever it took to make him feel better, he knew that much.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Back again with another chapter! We hope you all continue to enjoy the story as much as we are enjoying writing it for you. Reviews are love, so keep on leaving them for us!

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Sherlock spent the whole day in the clearing, picking flowers and listening to the wind. He tried to not think too much about what John had told his father that morning, but even escaping to his mind palace didn't help now that it was filled with all things John Watson.

He shook his head and sighed, he really needed to stop this, it was getting ridiculous. He was acting like a girl. Later that afternoon while lying on the ground, looking up at the clouds, he found himself dozing off and fell into a deep sleep rather quickly, dreaming of his and John's future.

As soon as the last bell rang, John sprinted from the building to his bike. Luckily, even though he had left it overnight, it was fine. He zoomed out of the car park and into the city to a little flower shop he knew. He found the nicest bouquet he could afford and then rode to Sherlock's house, readying his apology speech. Even though he still had no idea what he had done, it was good to be ready.

He knocked on the door and was shown to the backyard where he was told Sherlock had gone. John knew immediately he must be in the clearing and he walked through the woods, finding Sherlock asleep amongst the flowers. With the bouquet behind his back, John got down on his knees and kissed him.

Sherlock's dream took a turn for the worse as the afternoon dragged on. He was sitting in his room and John was pacing the floor...

_**"What's wrong, love?" dream Sherlock said, concerned. Dream John stopped pacing and looked up at Sherlock sadly.**_

_**"We can't do this anymore Sherlock... I can't... I can't hide this from my da anymore. I'm sorry."**_

_**Dream Sherlock shook his head fervently, "No... you can't leave me! John, you said you wouldn't leave me! You said we'd be together forever!" tears were running down his face in the dream and his breath was hitching.**_

_**"I'm so sorry, Sherlock..." dream John repeated and walked out the door.**_

Sherlock jumped at the touch of John's lips to his, eyes popping open, still unseeing, and he scooted back until he was backed up against the log. He pulled his knees to his chest and buried his face in them much like he did the other day.

John could tell as soon as he saw Sherlock's eyes that he was trapped in some fantasy of his sleeping mind. But he hadn't expected him to shut down as he had that first day they were together. He set the flowers down and ran over to Sherlock, immediately bringing his mouth close to his boyfriend's ear. "Love, it's me. It's John. I'm right here with you." He wrapped his arms around Sherlock, rubbing his back to try to soothe him.

Sherlock was lost in his mind again and started to murmur as he rocked back and forth. "Don't want you to be ashamed... please, please... I can't..." He whimpered and felt tears start to fall down his cheeks. Just then he heard the voices start up again, Sebastian's practically yelling _He's not like you, freak!_ in his head and he brought up his hands and clenched them tightly to his head, covering his ears. "Shut up... just _**SHUT UP!**_" he yelled.

This was worse than the time before and John nearly started to panic. How could he get through to Sherlock? He couldn't see any other way but to be more forceful. "Sherlock," he said firmly. "Sherlock, snap out of it. Please!" It was almost a little scary, the fact that he seemed trapped within himself. John pulled Sherlock's hands away and grabbed his face. "Sherlock. Wake up!" John started kissing him, hoping the physical contact would jar him to his senses.

Sherlock gasped loudly as John's lips pressed to his again and he instinctively reached out, wrapping his arms tightly around John's torso and sobbing loudly. He couldn't lose John, not now, not ever. He had become the most important person in his life and he knew that if he were ripped away from him that he wouldn't be able to survive. He continued to cling to his boyfriend like a man drowning and started to shake with the intensity of the sobs wracking his body.

John hugged Sherlock back, holding him tightly. He seemed to be back to himself, though he was still terribly upset. So John sat with him, rubbing his back and whispering soothingly to him. "It's alright, Sherlock. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, love. I love you." He just knew that this had something to do with what he had done to make Sherlock upset in the first place. What had he been saying? Being ashamed of him? That must be it. But why would Sherlock think he was ashamed? John would have to wait until he calmed down to find out.

Sherlock took a few minutes to calm down but when he finally did he pulled back enough to rest his forehead against John's, "sorry..." he murmured, "bad dream." He smiled weakly and reached up to wipe the remaining moisture from his eyes.

John shook his head, cupping Sherlock's cheek. "Don't apologize. I'm the one who should be sorry." He pulled away from Sherlock to grab the bouquet and handed it to him. "I'm really sorry for upsetting you this morning. And this is a shot in the dark here, but you don't think I'm ashamed of you, do you?"

Sherlock bit his lip and looked away, letting his fingers graze across the top of the flowers. He was embarrassed to admit it, but he was still terrified that there was a chance John might still leave him. He nodded slowly, "I..." he paused, trying to think of the best way to word this. He sighed heavily before turning back and looking John in the eyes.

"This morning, when you told your father you were staying with... a friend. I just... I have to admit, it hurt. I know that you probably think that I'm stupid for thinking this, but there's still that doubt inside of me that you'll stay no matter what. I'm afraid that if you are that ashamed of telling your father about us, that you'll eventually leave me because you don't want to lie to him anymore." He held his breath after he finished what he had to say and looked up at John, helplessness written across his face.

_Ah, so that's what it was._ John felt guilty for having said that in the first place, and now he felt even worse for having made Sherlock cry. "No, Sherlock. I didn't say that because I don't want to tell him. I really do. It's just..." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Sometimes my father gets angry with our whole situation. And sometimes he takes it out on Harry for being a lesbian and making Mum leave. I'm just a little afraid of how he's going to react when his second child turns out not to be straight. It's not you." John smoothed back Sherlock's hair and kissed his forehead. "You're perfect. Any person, boy or girl, would be lucky to take you home to their parents."

Sherlock shook his head, "I don't want it to be any person... I want it to be _**you**_," he said firmly. "I have no intentions of hiding our love from anyone, no matter what they say. I would shout it from the rooftops if I could. I love you more than anything, John Watson and I know it's easy for me to say because I'm not in your situation, but... even if my parents couldn't accept us as easily as they have, I still would have told them."

John nodded. Sherlock was right, of course. There was no reason he should hide it. Worst case scenario would be a little fight and not speaking for a bit. But his father did love him, and he should be happy that he found someone he truly cared about. "I'm sorry, Sherlock. You're right." He looked up into his eyes, biting his lip. "Forgive me?" he asked softly. "I'll bring you home with me right now and we can tell him together, if it will make you happy."

Sherlock smiled and cupped John's cheek, "thank you, love," he whispered and kissed him on the lips softly, deepening it for a moment before pulling away. "We don't have to do it today if you don't want to, it can wait a bit longer if that makes you more comfortable."

John relaxed, glad Sherlock forgave him and that he seemed to be feeling better. "No, I want to do it now. If you're up for it. Are you feeling better after yesterday?" he asked, looking him over. Sherlock still had some visible cuts and bruises on his face and arms but John couldn't tell how badly it felt to him.

Sherlock nodded, "the worst of the pain is gone, thankfully. I'm pretty sure you wiped away almost all traces of it this morning," he said and chuckled. He pulled John close to him and kissed him again, lingering longer this time, but holding back from letting it get much more intense.

John smiled as he kissed Sherlock., gently pressing him back to lay in the flowers. He followed Sherlock's lead and kept it slow, just the soft touch of lips between two lovers. When he pulled away, he gazed down at Sherlock and brushed his fingers over the other boy's cheek. "I don't want you to doubt me," he said softly. "And I don't want to ever make you cry again. So if I do something wrong, tell me."

Sherlock nodded and pulled John down by the back of his neck for another soft, slow kiss. "I love you, John," he whispered and smiled. They laid there for a few moments, just kissing lazily until Sherlock spoke again. "I think it's time to go speak to your father, yeah?" he asked and smiled lovingly up at his boyfriend.

"I love you, too, Sherlock," John said softly. He kept a tight hold on Sherlock, returning each kiss with tenderness and love. When Sherlock finally said they should go speak with his father, John was a bit nervous. But he pushed it away. He shouldn't have to hide his love from his father of all people. "Yes, let's go," he said, sitting up, then standing. He put out a hand for Sherlock to help him up.

Sherlock took John's hand and stood, wrapping his arms around the shorter boy and kissing him quickly on the lips. "It'll all be okay, love. I'll be there for you no matter what happens, okay?" he smiled reassuringly and cupped his boyfriend's cheek before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

John nodded, returning Sherlock's embrace and feeling a bit better. "Thank you." He pulled back and took Sherlock's hand as they walked back through the forest to the house. "Is your father here now?" John asked. "I never got the chance to meet him this morning."

Sherlock shook his head, "no, he's out on business. Mum was planning on having you come for dinner to properly meet the whole family. Mycroft will be there too..." he cringed and smiled apologetically.

John nodded. "That's okay. Mycroft and I have an understanding," he said with a faint smile. He squeezed Sherlock's hand and they passed through the house out to his bike. "Maybe if things go well, my da could come to dinner. Meet the in-laws sort of thing." John blushed a little after saying that. At the rate they were going they would definitely be getting married at some point. He smiled and climbed on the bike, making room for Sherlock behind.

Sherlock raised his eyebrow at John's words, _understanding? Interesting..._ When John mentioned the word 'in-laws' he smiled, being married to John was definitely something he could see happening. He really did love him more than anything. Maybe he'd have to propose once they graduated. It would only be a few months from now...

Sherlock grinned and hopped on the bike behind John, wrapping his arms around the shorter boy and pressing a kiss to the back of his neck. "I remember the first time we were in this position... I had to keep myself from lowering my hands," he chuckled and scratched his nails along John's stomach.

"That was only a few days ago, if you think about it." John made a soft sound, arching towards Sherlock's fingers. "Don't distract me while I'm riding. I don't want you to get hurt." He started the bike and took off from Sherlock's drive, heading for home.

He tried to be comforted by Sherlock's arms around him as he thought about the reaction he might get from his father. Hopefully things turned out alright. He didn't want to have to make the choice between Sherlock and his father, because he already knew that he would choose Sherlock and that would break his father for sure.

Sherlock smirked, "yes, dear." As they drove, he could tell that John was nervous and he tightened his arms around him, trying to show some comfort. He knew that what John's father thought was very important to him and he hoped that he was accepting of his son and of him.

John leaned back into Sherlock as much as he safely could, glad for the comfort. They finally made it to the flat and John parked the bike outside and climbed off. He helped Sherlock off and kept hold of his hand as they walked up the steps to the door. His father should be home today, his one day off. John unlocked the door and walked in. "Da?"

"John?" Footsteps came towards them and his father emerged from the hallway. "John, dear God. Do you know what you put me through yesterday?" He hugged his son and John let go of Sherlock's hand to hug him back.

"I'm really sorry. But I want to introduce you to the boy I was with," John said, breaking away. That seemed the best segway into this. "Da, this is Sherlock Holmes."

Mr. Watson looked at Sherlock for the first time then. "Oh. Hello, son." He put out a hand to shake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. John speaks very well of you," Sherlock said, taking his hand in a firm grip before releasing it and smiling nervously at him. He looked at the boy beside him and put his hand on the small of John's back in a comforting gesture. He smiled in encouragement, waiting for John to tell his father the news.

John took a deep breath, the hand on his back only helping marginally. He saw his father's gaze follow the hand and then look at him in suspicion. That pretty much gave it away already, so with a whoosh of breath, John began.

"Da...I sort of lied to you this morning on the phone. Well, really I left something out." He knew he was starting to ramble and he tried to get his thoughts together. "The thing is, Sherlock is my friend, but he's also... He's more than my friend. He's my... boyfriend." He bit his lip and looked up at his father, trying to read his expression.

Mr. Watson was silent for a moment, face showing that he seemed conflicted. John couldn't take the suspense, but he stayed quiet, waiting. Finally, his father took a breath and let it out, turning his back. "Go. Please."

John's heart dropped. He wanted him to leave? "Da-"

"Go!" Mr. Watson turned back around and shouted. "Just...leave me for now."

John felt a lump welling in his throat but he swallowed it down. He opened his mouth to say something, but he knew there was nothing he could say to fix this. The damage was done. So he just bowed his head and left the flat, holding back tears.

Sherlock's jaw clenched as he watched the scene before him unfold. His heart broke at the look on John's face as he walked out the door and he turned back to Mr. Watson.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke. "Sir, I just want you to know you have raised an amazing son. He is kind, caring and wise. We never expected to feel this way about each other, or even meet, but we did... He has saved my life twice in the past few days and I am forever grateful for that."

He paused and looked down at his feet, "he loves you and I know he cares what you think about us being together. I hope... I hope you can accept him, because I love him and I wouldn't want to see him hurt by not having his father's support."

Sherlock looked up at Mr. Watson again, searching his face and nodded once before walking out the door to go join John.

Mr. Watson didn't say anything as Sherlock left, just putting a hand over his face.

John meanwhile was outside, leaning against the wall of the flat with his face buried in his hands. His own father had rejected him. It hurt far more than he cared to say. What would he do if his father kicked him out for good? He had no money, nowhere to go. He couldn't impose on Sherlock, that just wasn't fair. He heard Sherlock coming out but he didn't move.

Sherlock felt his heart breaking again when he came outside and found John. He immediately walked up to him and wrapped his arms around him, pressing a kiss to his temple before resting his cheek on the top of his head. "I'm so sorry, love... I'm sure he'll come around," he said and rubbed the shorter boy's back soothingly.

John turned into Sherlock, returning the embrace and burying his face in the taller boy's shoulder. "I don't know, Sherlock. He just looked so...disappointed and he couldn't even look at me." He looked up at Sherlock, tears brimming in his eyes. This was more than just his father not approving of Sherlock. This was potentially his disapproval of John and who he was.

"Hey..." Sherlock said soothingly and kissed the tears away, "it'll all work out, you'll see. He just needs some time to process everything. You can stay with me as long as you need to, don't feel like you're a burden, because you're not... okay?" He smiled lovingly at John and cupped his cheek, leaning down to kiss him softly on the lips. He wished there was more he could do, he felt so helpless and hated seeing John so upset.

John kissed him back, holding tightly to him. Sherlock was all he had right now. "Thank you, Sherlock." He rested his head on Sherlock's chest and closed his eyes. "Just give me a minute to calm down and we can go. I don't want to drive with my eyes all blurry." He stayed there with Sherlock, willing the tears away and steadying his breathing. Once he felt like he was alright, he pulled back and nodded once before getting on the bike.

Sherlock held John while he calmed himself down and when he got on the bike behind him, he hugged him tightly and kissed the back of his neck. "I love you," he murmured.

John leaned back against Sherlock. "I love you, too," he said softly before starting the bike. He turned it around and started off for Sherlock's house again. He glanced back at his flat before they turned the corner, just a bit of longing in his eyes, and he sighed, facing forward again. Maybe Sherlock was right. Maybe it would just take time before his father was alright. At least, he hoped.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Well here we are with another chapter. I would like to go ahead and warn everyone now that there will be more and rougher sex as the series goes on, but nothing incredibly raunchy. Keep in mind that John and Sherlock are healthy, hormonal driven teenagers in this series :-)

Note from Sailorxstar: I would like to say that I really love all the reviews and it really makes me smile to see them all!

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On the ride home, Sherlock came up with an idea of how to get John's mind off of the situation with his father. When they arrived to the house he sent John up to his room and convinced his parents to postpone the dinner to another night. He grabbed some candles and a lighter and headed up to his bedroom to join John.

He smiled at John and laid the candles out around the room, lighting them and then dimming the overhead lights. He walked over to his stereo and turned it on. A soft tune flowed out of the speakers:

_**Trying to live and love with a heart that can't be broken is like trying to see the light with eyes that can't be opened. Yeah we both carry baggage we picked up on our way, so if you love me do it gently and I will do the same...**_

Sherlock walked slowly to the edge of the bed and took his shirt off, tossing it aside. He smiled lovingly at John and unbuttoned his trousers, leaving them hanging from his hips as he climbed on the bed and straddled his lover, kissing him softly and starting to remove his clothing too.

_**We may shine, we may shatter. We may be picking up the pieces here on after. We are fragile, we are human. We are shaped by the light we let through us. We break fast, cause we are glass.**_

Sherlock continued to kiss John as the song played, softly stroking his skin and keeping his movements slow.

When they arrived and Sherlock sent him upstairs, John just sat on the edge of the bed and hung his head. He just wished that everything could work out. That he could have Sherlock and love him and be open without his father, or anyone else for that matter, giving him a problem. He rubbed his hands over his face, feeling just drained and like he wanted to sleep and forget everything. But when Sherlock returned with candles, he knew that that wouldn't be the case.

John watched as Sherlock fixed the room up, the ambiance of the situation already distracting him from his previous thoughts. And when Sherlock slowly started undressing, he found himself nearly completely forgetting everything that had happened only less than an hour before.

John liked this, slow and sensual, the music and candles keeping the mood gentle and loving. His hands wandered down to Sherlock's arse, slipping under the elastic of his boxers and pulling them down slightly just so that the pale hip bones of his boyfriend were showing. He trailed tender kisses along Sherlock's jaw, to his neck and down it, letting Sherlock undress him as he did.

Sherlock closed his eyes at the feeling of John's lips on his neck and he moaned softly. After he had pulled John's clothing off, he began kissing every inch of skin he could. Memorizing every bit of him and noting what spots made his breath hitch and which ones made him moan.

He removed the rest of their clothing and pushed John back until he was laid out flat on the bed, still kissing him. He grabbed onto his boyfriend's waist and slowly rocked his hips forward, grinding them together.

John leaned back and let Sherlock take control, spreading his arms out so that every inch of him was open to the other boy's soft lips. He made a variety of sounds from moans to whimpers and whines to little gasps, and he knew that Sherlock would keep a mental map of all his extra sensitive spots in that genius brain of his. Not that John was complaining of course.

When they were completely nude he and Sherlock started grinding into him, he let out a soft groan and bucked up to meet his boyfriend. He clutched at Sherlock's hips, keeping him in place so that their hardened arousals could bump together again and again. Then he gently hooked a leg around Sherlock's waist, using it to help flip them over so Sherlock was on his back beneath him.

He began to kiss and nip at the skin of his collar, and over towards his shoulder. His hands smoothed all along the front of Sherlock's body, tracing the contours of his muscles and ghosting over the remains of bruising from the day before.

Sherlock let out another moan as their cocks slid against each other, loving the feeling of it. He gasped when John turned them over and let his eyes flutter closed as his boyfriend slid his fingers all along his body. "John..." he moaned quietly and bit his lip.

This was absolutely amazing. He was falling more in love with John every second and he felt like every nerve in his body came to life as John touched it with his fingers or lips. He was reduced to whimpers within moments and grabbed at the back of John's head, pulling him until they were face to face again. "Make love to me, John..." he whispered against his boyfriend's lips and pulled him closer for another deep, passionate kiss.

John knew in the back of his mind that tonight would wind up being their first time; he knew it from the moment that they started this in the candle-lit room. And he was perfectly fine with it. He wanted to make that connection, the ultimate form of showing his boyfriend just how much he loved him. John kissed him back with the same fervor, slipping his arms under Sherlock to lift him slightly and get closer.

After a long moment, he pulled away and panted lightly. "Do you...have anything?" he asked, referring to condoms or even just lube. It was Sherlock's first time and John's first time with a boy, so it was best to be as safe and gentle as possible

Sherlock nodded, "In my bedside table," he said quietly and blushed, "Mycroft got them for me as soon as he saw us together. That... was a very interesting conversation," he chuckled and pulled John in for another kiss, "but we won't talk about that."

John chuckled just a little, giving Sherlock a loving kiss before sitting up so he could reach the table. He opened the drawer and found the box and bottle he was looking for. Pulling one condom out, he put the box back.

Meanwhile, he popped the top of the bottle and squirted some of the liquid onto his fingers. He reached under Sherlock to circle his entrance before pushing one finger inside.

Sherlock groaned as John's finger penetrated him, remembering how amazing this could be from the last time John had fingered him... had it been just this morning? Didn't matter, this was... _wonderful_. He moaned softly and grabbed onto his boyfriend's shoulders to ground himself in this moment.

John slowly pumped the finger for a few moments before adding a second. He scissored them gently, trying to stretch Sherlock as much as possible before he went in himself. A third finger followed and he thrust them as he ripped open the condom package with his teeth. John rolled the little circle of rubber over his cock with a groan, still stretching Sherlock carefully.

Sherlock whimpered in pleasure and began rolling his hips down onto John's talented fingers. "John... oh, John..." he murmured and felt his cock twitching against his stomach as his fingertips grazed his prostate. He was shaking in anticipation of what was to come. Craving the feeling of John inside of him, taking him over completely and loving him in the most intimate way possible.

John finally pulled his fingers out, grabbing the bottle of lube to slick his cock. Hovering over Sherlock, John positioned himself at Sherlock's entrance, feeling his aching arousal desperate to be inside of his lover. This was the most special of all his previous times because it was with someone that he really and truly loved.

It didn't matter that they were both male and it didn't matter if anyone disapproved. This was the sharing of love between two souls who needed each other, making a physical connection that was as close to being one as possible. John bent down to kiss Sherlock again and pushed himself inside.

Sherlock clung to John as he felt him enter him finally and he threw his head back with a loud moan. He felt like everything was finally coming together and that he was at last complete. The feeling of being so connected with the love of his life was more than he could possibly put into words.

When John was deep enough to graze his prostate again, he whimpered and pulled him even closer so they could lock lips again. "Oh God, _**John**_... I love you... I love you so much," he whispered and felt a tear slide down his cheek.

John groaned at the feeling of being sheathed inside of Sherlock. Dear God, he was tight, and it caused the friction all around him to be incredible. He slipped his arms under Sherlock's back again, pulling their chests together, feeling like he could just melt into Sherlock and combine into one being with two halves that were missing each other until this very moment.

John would never have admitted to believing in soulmates before, but there was no question in his mind now. Sherlock was his perfect match, the only person that he could ever be with and be truly happy. He kissed him back passionately, and then kissed the tear from his cheek.

"I love you, too, Sherlock," he said, voice deep but quiet. He slowly thrust into Sherlock, not wanting to go too hard as he knew it would probably hurt being this was the first time.

Sherlock bit his lip, trying to ride through the initial pain, but then John rolled his hips and thrust into him and the pain gradually started to dull. He looked deep into his boyfriend's eyes as he continued to thrust into him and he moaned softly. He could stay like this forever if their bodies would allow them to, being this way with John was _perfect_.

This was so different. Not just the physical feeling, because being inside of Sherlock was far different than any bird he'd ever been with. But of course the emotional aspect, the feelings they were sharing just by being this way. And Sherlock's eyes were locked with his, silently communicating all that John needed to know. That had never happened before.

It was always eyes closed, heads turned away, trying not to think about who this was they were shagging with. Not this time. John didn't feel strange staring back at Sherlock at all, but he did close his eyes to give him tender kisses with each thrust as he felt himself getting closer.

Sherlock kissed John back with every touch of their lips. He could feel himself grow closer and closer to release and reached down to take himself in hand, pumping slowly. With his free hand he reached up and pulled his boyfriend's lips to his again, kissing him deeply, tangling their tongues together, moaning and whimpering into his mouth.

John's movements sped a little, especially as he could feel Sherlock getting a bit desperate. He continued to thrust into Sherlock, each movement bringing him that much nearer to the edge. "Sh-Sherlock...s-so close..." he gasped before kissing him again, sloppily but hungrily. With a few quicker and just a bit harder thrusts, John cried out into the kiss and climaxed, staying inside of Sherlock as he felt himself fully release.

Sherlock sped up his strokes, flicking his wrist faster as John thrust into him faster. His orgasm approached quickly and intensely, his whole body convulsing and his vision whiting out with the overwhelming sensations. He moaned and whimpered as he came, clinging onto John.

When he was finished, he pulled the other boy on top of him and kissed him lazily. "Mmmm... that was... wow. I can't even..." he murmured and finally gave up on trying to describe it, just leaning forward and locking their lips together again.

John panted heavily with the force of the orgasm, nearly collapsing on top of Sherlock. He kissed him back, mind still only half working, so he had no idea what Sherlock was saying before they kissed again. He rolled them onto their sides and pulled out of Sherlock so that he could pull off the condom and toss it away.

When John finally broke their kiss he was able to speak coherently again. "You're incredible... I'm so in love with you." He stroked Sherlock's cheek, pulling him in and tangling their legs together so they were as close as possible.

Sherlock hummed in content and kissed his boyfriend lazily. "I'm head over heels for you too, love," he murmured and chuckled. "No matter what, I'm always going to love you. I want you to know that," he whispered, wrapping his arms around him and stroking John's back.

John smiled and buried his face in Sherlock's neck. "I do know that. And I feel the same. I'll always be here with you." He closed his eyes, breathing steady and matched with Sherlock's rhythm. This moment was so perfect, nothing could ruin it. Not his father, not the kids at school. It was just him and Sherlock and perfect bliss.

Sherlock grinned and held John close, running his fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him to sleep. He went to sleep shortly after, smile still on his face.

John fell asleep fast, smiling even as he was swept into his dreams. But things didn't stay peaceful and soon what was a happy dream of he and Sherlock turned into a nightmare.

_**John's father burst in on them as they were in bed, and John whirled around. "Da?"**_

_**"I want you to come home, John. Please come home with me."**_

_**John smiled. His father had changed his mind! He got up and ran to hug him. "Thank you so much for understanding."**_

_**His father grabbed him by the wrists and pulled his arms away. "You're coming home with me and you're never seeing this boy again. No son of mine is going to ruin our lives any further just because of some sick homosexual fantasies."**_

_**John felt his heart break. "No. Please, Da, please! I love him!" His father started dragging him out and Sherlock was completely frozen to the bed. John tried to wrench free but he couldn't. "No, please! Sherlock! Please!"**_

Outside of the nightmare, John was fidgeting and whimpering in his sleep, mumbling incoherently as his dream self struggled to get back to Sherlock.

Sherlock's eyes fluttered open as he felt John struggling against him and was immediately concerned, "Hey... John it's okay, I've got you... It's me, come on, wake up," he said softly and hugged him tightly, kissing his forehead and trying to rouse him.

John could just barely feel that Sherlock was there, but it wasn't enough to wake him. His nightmare shifted to complete darkness where he could only just barely make out the form of Sherlock far in the distance. But no matter how fast he ran he couldn't reach him.

Sherlock started to panic, this must be how John felt whenever Sherlock had an episode. Remembering what John had done for him, he grabbed his boyfriend's face and started to kiss him as firmly as he could. "John... Please, wake up!" he shouted in between kisses.

John was feeling completely lost until he felt Sherlock kiss him. His eyes popped open, and he jerked back, still half-stuck in his nightmare. He blinked a few times, eyes wide and heart racing, until he finally calmed down and remembered where he was. He took a few deep breaths and slumped forward into Sherlock, hugging him. "Sorry," he whispered. "I should have mentioned I'm prone to nightmares."

Sherlock held John tightly and kissed him on the top of the head, "it's okay, love." He pulled back and cupped his boyfriend's cheek, "do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

John sighed and closed his eyes, but opened them again as visions of his nightmare swam before him. "My father came to take me away. He didn't want me to be with you anymore. I couldn't get back to you," he explained quietly.

"Hey," Sherlock said softly and tilted John's head up, "no one is ever going to take you away from me, okay? I won't let it happen. I told you I promised to be here for you and I intend to keep that promise. I will fight for you, no matter who tries to tear us apart." He smiled lovingly at his boyfriend and kissed him on the forehead.

John sniffled a little and swallowed down the lump in his throat. "Thank you," he said and snuggled against Sherlock. "I can't imagine life without you now," he admitted against Sherlock's neck. "I've never had another person who was so important to me. And I'll never leave you or let anyone take me from you, nor you from me."

Sherlock held John and was silent, thinking about the whole situation with his boyfriend's father. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it, because Sebastian was right. John wasn't like him. He had never been with another boy before and had they never met, he would be going after some girl.

He held John tighter, tears reaching his eyes as he tried to push away the negative thoughts. He was with him now and nothing was going to change that. He needed to trust that John would always love him.

As John lay with his face burrowed against Sherlock, he couldn't see the tears brimming in his eyes. But he was thinking himself along similar lines. Technically speaking, if he and Sherlock hadn't met then John probably would have continued on, dating girls and only later on perhaps discovering that he could like boys as well. But it would be the same result in the end.

It wasn't Sherlock himself that had caused his father to get upset. It was the fact that Sherlock was a boy and his father had been through so much already because of Harry liking the same gender. Any boy that he might have brought home, or even just telling his father that he fancied boys, would have given the same results.

John settled himself further against Sherlock, closing his eyes. He didn't resent him, not at all. Sherlock was his other half who just happened to also be a boy. He loved him for him, and would have probably loved him even as a girl or even something else. There was no question in his mind.

Sherlock felt the guilt continue to grow within him, completely unaware of the other boy's thoughts. He sighed shakily and a few tears fell from his eyes and landed on top of John's head before he could reach up and wipe them away without John noticing.

John was nearly asleep again when he felt a bit of moisture fall into his hair. And unless Sherlock was drooling on him, he could only guess it was his tears. He pulled back and looked up to see that Sherlock was indeed crying, but he couldn't understand why. "Sherlock?" He kissed the tears away and stroked his fingers down one cheek. "What's wrong?"

Sherlock bit his lip and blinked the tears away. "Do you... regret it? Stepping in that day and helping me? I mean..." he sighed and looked away, "If we hadn't met, you would still be at home and your father wouldn't be upset... You would be... happy," his voice tapered off at the end and he shut his eyes tight, trying to stop the tears from falling.

John felt his heart break listening to Sherlock. "No, Sherlock, look at me," he said, gently turning his face back. "Of course I don't regret helping you. I wouldn't change anything that happened that day." He leaned in and kissed him softly.

"I am happy, because I have you. You can't blame yourself for my father's actions; he would have done that with any boy. And even if he doesn't ever want to speak to me again, it's worth it because I know that you're the one person that I need in my life. I love you, Sherlock Holmes. You complete me." He smiled at the other boy, trying to show him that every word was true.

Sherlock smiled as tears fell down his cheeks, happy tears this time. He kissed John and held him close, "John Watson, I promise to love you as long as I live. You are the most amazing, kind, handsome person I have ever met. I am so lucky to have you," he cupped his boyfriend's cheek and smiled lovingly at him.

John smiled, heart warmed and chest swelling in happiness. He snuggled into Sherlock and sighed in content. "I'm lucky I found you. To think one minute could have changed everything and I might have missed out on you."

"I never thought I'd say this, but... thank goodness for my big mouth," Sherlock said and chuckled, nuzzling into the top of John's head.

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Additional Author's Note: The song used in this chapter is Glass by Thompson Square


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: We're here with another chapter! Thanks again for all the reviews, keep 'em coming! Get ready for some more angst...

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They laid there together until the sun rose and Sherlock started placing gentle kisses all over John's face. "Time to get up, love... you have to go to school," he murmured.

John didn't exactly go to sleep again but just drifted in and out, warm and sleepy with Sherlock holding him. When Sherlock told him it was time for school, he groaned and snuggled closer. "I don't want to go."

Sherlock chuckled, "I know, I don't want you to go either, but you have to." He smirked mischievously and put his lips up to John's ear. "If you don't get up, I'm just going to have to make you..." he whispered huskily.

John pouted. He didn't want to have to go to school, especially not if Sherlock wasn't going to be there with him. When Sherlock spoke in his ear he made a soft sound and turned to capture Sherlock's lips. "Talk like that and I'll never leave," he said against his lips.

Sherlock kissed John passionately for a few moments before smirking against his lips, "you asked for it," he murmured and reached down to his sides to begin tickling him. He used his knowledge of John's most sensitive spots and attacked them without mercy.

John kissed Sherlock back, figuring that he had won over him and could stay. As Sherlock's hands moved down he half-expected him to start touching him. But then he was being tickled and he squeaked before laughing uncontrollably and squirming. "Ah, Sher-Sherlock! Stop!" He laughed and rolled away, falling onto the floor. "Ok, alright. I'm up, you git." He chuckled softly as he caught his breath, standing and brushing himself off.

Sherlock laughed along with John as he squirmed and smiled triumphantly when he fell off the bed. He scooted over and hugged the pillow that his boyfriend had been laying on, burying his face in it and inhaling deeply before turning his face and grinning at John. "I'll be waiting not-so-patiently for you to return, my dear," he said, "try to pick up my homework from the office if you would, please."

John smiled and bent down to kiss Sherlock's forehead, hand cupping his face. "I will. I'm going to borrow your clothes by the way, since I don't have any of mine but the ones I wore yesterday. I hope no one looks at me funny if I'm trying to catch your scent on them all through class." He winked and went to the closet to find something that would fit him. Once he'd gathered an outfit he headed for the door. "See you later. I love you."

Sherlock smiled, "later darling, I love you too." As soon as John left the room he ran to his closet and pulled out a large chest. He pulled his necklace out from under his shirt and unlocked the chest with the key that hung from it.

He then removed a smaller case and opened it, revealing his violin. He smiled fondly and ran his fingers along the strings. It had been a while since he'd played, but he had nothing else to occupy himself today and he wanted to do something special for John.

Walking from the closet with his violin and bow in hand, he applied the rosin to the bow and nestled the violin under his chin. He raised the bow and drew it slowly across the strings, starting a sweet tune. He smiled and closed his eyes, thinking of John as he continue to play.

John rode to school alone on his bike, already wishing the school day was over. At least there were only a few days til the weekend, and he could spend the whole two days with Sherlock. Though he did sort of hope his father would call soon. It wasn't that he didn't like living with Sherlock, it was fabulous. But he wanted to make amends, and he really wanted his father to get to know the boy he loved.

The first half of the day went pretty smoothly. During lunch break John went to the office where he was giving quite a stack of homework for Sherlock. Whatever classes his boyfriend was taking, he was quite glad that he wasn't in them. After stuffing those away in his bag, he went to the cafeteria and bought himself lunch. But...Where was he going to sit? He'd sort of alienated himself with his dating and defense of Sherlock. And with the other boy not here, John found himself completely alone. This must be what it felt like for Sherlock, and it broke John's heart that he'd had to go through that for so long.

John finally found a spot outside at one of the older benches where no one sat. He set his tray down and started to eat, looking up at the passing clouds overhead

Sebastian had gathered up a few of the rugby players and walked over to the bench where John was sitting. He clenched his jaw and knocked the tray out of the shorter boy's lap to get his attention. "Where's the freak?" he growled and smirked.

John let out a breath through his nose. Keep calm. Don't let your temper go. He looked up at Sebastian with a forced smile plastered onto his face. "_**Sherlock**_ is at home. Recuperating from the near death experience that you and your group of brainless lemmings arranged. How's your eye by the way?"

Sebastian frowned, "It's fine, nothing I can't handle..." he shook off the comment and spoke again. "Too bad we didn't get to finish, eh boys?" he looked back at the other players with him and they all laughed. "You see, you caught us by surprise before we could teach him a proper lesson. Looks like we'll just have to try again," he shrugged and smiled evilly.

It was all John could do to keep from tackling him to the ground and choking him. He stood calmly, as tall as he could, and stared up defiantly at Sebastian. "You lay one finger on him and you'll find out exactly how it feels to be on the other side of one of your 'lessons'," he said, voice low. He was right on the edge of losing it. If Sebastian made one wrong move...

Sebastian laughed, "ooooh, we're so scared!" he shoved John against the wall, "look, you're still new here, so we're going to go easy on you this time..." he said and turned away slightly before rearing his fist back and punching John in the gut.

John tried to wrench himself free when he was pinned to the wall, but Sebastian was bigger than him. He glared at him until he turned away, admonishing himself for his pounding heart. He didn't even have time to prepare for the punch and he fell to the ground hard. But John Watson wasn't going to let him get away with that. He stuck his leg out as Sebastian was walking away, tripping him so that he fell directly on his face.

Sebastian groaned in pain and pushed himself up off the ground. "You _**really**_ shouldn't have done that," he growled. He gave a quick look to the other players and they pushed John onto his back, holding his arms out and putting their knees on his elbows to keep him from being able to move them.

Sebastian advanced on him and sat on his chest, beginning to throw punches to every part of his upper body. A blow to his jaw, one to his shoulder, several to his stomach and chest. In a blind rage now, he just kept pummeling him as hard and as fast as he could.

John knew he was in for it once he had done it, but he didn't care. Sebastian could beat him all he wanted, that wasn't going to change the fact that he would defend Sherlock with his life. And with the way he was getting attacked now, that might just be a possibility.

No one was there to save him like he was for Sherlock, and he was way outnumbered. He struggled as much as he could, tears pouring down his face out of his control, but his head hit the ground one too many times as he was being punched and soon he was falling away into blackness.

"Sebastian Moran! Stop that right this instant!" Sebastian stopped and looked back at the commanding voice. It was one of the professors, Mr. Lestrade. He panicked and got up, running away with the other players not far behind.

The professor decided to let them run, he'd seen all their faces and knew their names. He immediately pulled out his mobile and called for an ambulance, then knelt down next to John and held his head up off the ground, taking off his blazer and laying it under his head. As soon as the paramedics arrived, John's father was called and he was rushed to the hospital.

When John's father got the call, he paled and nearly fainted. He didn't even tell his boss where he was going as he ran from the building, and nearly sprinted all the way to the hospital. He felt just...terrible. He kicked his son out of the house, and now he had been beaten within an inch of his life. If John... No, he wouldn't think like that. He went straight to the emergency room and demanded to see his son.

Sherlock was still playing his violin when Mycroft burst into his room. "Myc, what the hell?! You're interrupting!" he shouted and scowled at him. "Sherlock, shut up. There's been... a situation at the school. It's John, Sebastian went after him."

Sherlock felt all the air leave his lungs and he dropped his violin. "Let's go. Now," he said and ran towards the door. Mycroft grabbed his car keys and followed Sherlock outside, dashing to the car and speeding off to the hospital where John was taken.

They only let Mr. Watson inside after about fifteen minutes badgering. He went into the room and gasped at the sight, swallowing hard. John's face was bruised, he was hooked up to wires and tubes, and he was covered in bloodied bandages. He could barely stand. He sank into the chair by his bed and put his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry..."

Sherlock burst through the door of the A & E, marching straight up to the nurses' station. "I'm here to see John Watson," he said firmly. The nurse looked back at him and raised her eyebrow, "I'm sorry, son, only relatives are allowed back at this time." Sherlock felt his eyes filling with angry tears, "I'm his boyfriend dammit! I demand to be able to see him!" he shouted and pounded his fist on the counter.

Mycroft stepped up behind him and gripped his shoulder, "now, now Sherlock. Calm down." He looked at the nurse and smiled, "I do apologise for my brother's behaviour. It's that Holmes temper in him." The nurses eyes got wide, "Holmes? As in... _**the**_ Holmes'?" she said and gasped. "I'm terribly sorry sir, right this way." She led them back to John's room immediately.

Sherlock's brow furrowed in confusion, "What... How did that even work?" he said and looked up at Mycroft. His older brother just smiled, "Mummy and Daddy have donated quite a bit of money to this particular hospital," he said and shrugged. Sherlock nodded in understanding. He swallowed hard before he entered John's room. "John..." he whispered and started to walk towards him before he saw John's father sitting by the bed and his eyes widened as he stepped back again.

John's father looked up and turned as he heard Sherlock speak. With a deep breath he stood and walked closer to Sherlock, holding out his hand. "I have to apologise for the other day," he said, voice a little choked. "It's just been very difficult since John's mother left us and when he came home with you... it was just a shock." He attempted a smile. "John must really care about you to want to take the chance of my disapproving. You must really be something special."

Sherlock swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded, "I care about him too... More than anyone," he looked at John lying in the hospital bed and then back to his father. "I'm very much in love with your son, Mr. Watson. He means everything to me and he has saved me twice since we have met... I'm just sorry I wasn't there to do the same for him," he ended in a whisper and felt tears coming to his eyes. He walked slowly over to the bed and took John's hand in his, kissing the back of it and lifting it to his cheek.

Mr. Watson watched the display, feelings still a little mixed. It was one thing for Harry to like girls but another for John, his only son, to turn around and have a boyfriend. It just wasn't what he expected. But the way that Sherlock talked about him, and the emotion in his actions, was enough to make him forget for a moment that they were both boys. He put a hand on Sherlock's shoulder. "It isn't your fault, son," he said. "We could all blame ourselves for not being there when it happened."

Sherlock nodded and smiled weakly up at John's father, "yes, I suppose that's true." He kept a hold of John's hand and reached with his other one to gently brush John's hair away from his face. "I'm here, love," he said softly, tears running down his face. All he could do now was wait patiently for his boyfriend to wake up.

They sat for a while, silently keeping vigil over John. It was about an hour before he started to stir. God, did that hurt. In fact, everything hurt. He groaned and opened his eyes, Sherlock swimming into his vision first, and he smiled weakly. But then he noticed the presence of Mycroft and..."Da?' he rasped, eyes widening.

"John." Mr. Watson moved closer and smiled, feeling a bit choked again. "How are you feeling, lad?"

John didn't answer. He was just overwhelmed. His father didn't seem upset at all and he was here in the same room with Sherlock. For as much pain as he was in, it was worth it if it changed things with his father. John felt tears welling in his eyes as he looked up at him with a smile.

Sherlock gave John a watery smile, tears still falling down his cheeks. He grasped his hand a little tighter before letting it go and laying his head on the bed next to John's side. "I'm sorry, John..." he murmured, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to stop him," he sobbed, turning his face and burying it in the blankets.

John tried to move but that was far too painful. So he lifted his hand and stroked Sherlock's hair. "Sherlock, stop. It's not your fault, love." He flushed a little using the term in front of his father, but he needed to comfort Sherlock. "There was nothing that you could have done. They would have gotten you too."

"Those boys had better be expelled for this," Mr. Watson said, tone fierce. "They shouldn't be allowed to terrorize students this way."

"Being expelled isn't the only thing they'll have to worry about," Mycroft spoke up from where he was leaned up against the wall. He walked forward as he spoke, "they've also been banned from every athletic program and have to do community work for the rest of the year." Mycroft put a hand on Sherlock's shoulder, "I think it's safe to say they'll be paying for what they did to both of you." He smiled and winked at John.

John grinned and he ruffled Sherlock's hair a little. "See? Everything's alright now." He reached under to tilt Sherlock's chin up. "We're both going to be fine," he said with a smile.

Mr. Watson cleared his throat a little and John flushed, pulling his hand back from Sherlock's face. He tried to push himself up, wincing at the pain that shot through his body. "Um...thanks, Da. You don't know how much it means to me that you're here."

John's father stepped closer and reached over to touch his son's shoulder. "What kind of father would I be if I let one little spat keep me from my son when he's in need?" He gave him a smile. "You and Sherlock have something very special, and I feel terrible that it took for you to be in the hospital for me to realise it. It's going to take a little getting used to, but I do give you my blessing."

John swallowed and smiled up at him. "I love you, Da."

"I love you, too, lad."

Sherlock smiled at the whole exchange and kissed the back of John's hand again. Mycroft cleared his throat and raised his eyebrow at Sherlock. He looked at his older brother, confused until it dawned on him. "Oh! Um... Mr. Watson? My parents were hoping to have you and John over for dinner sometime... When John feels better, of course," he added and smiled at his boyfriend.

John's father grinned at Sherlock. "Thank you, that sounds wonderful." Just then, Mr. Watson's mobile rang. "Excuse me," he said, answering it. "Hello? Oh, yes, I'm sorry. My son...Well, yes but...He was taken to the hospital!" Not wanting to upset John while he was still in bad shape, he left the room to finish the conversation.

John watched him go, wondering who that might be on the other end. His father was supposed to be working today. He must have ran out as soon as he found out John was here. Hopefully nothing bad happened because of that.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: Here we are again! As always, keep the reviews coming, we absolutely love hearing your input!

* * *

As John's father left the room, Sherlock's brow furrowed in concern. He could tell something was wrong and knew that John could tell too. He stood and whispered something in Mycroft's ear and he nodded and left the room.

Sherlock smiled down at his boyfriend and leaned forward to press a soft kiss to his forehead, his nose and then one on his lips. "I'm so glad you're going to be okay, I was so worried," he whispered.

John looked at Sherlock in question when he came back from saying what he was saying to Mycroft, but it was wiped away when Sherlock kissed him. He reached up to put his hand on the back of Sherlock's head. "Of course. I wasn't about to leave you behind," he said with a wink. As if he had any control over it.

John was extremely lucky that he was alive. The way Moran had pounded on him... He could feel the nightmares coming on already. He looked up at Sherlock, just glad to be able to see his face, and be with him.

Sherlock chuckled softly and ran his fingers softly down the side of John's face, cupping his cheek as lightly as he could, so as not to hurt him. "I love you so much," he murmured and kissed his boyfriend again, this one lingering a bit longer. He pulled back and rested their foreheads together, "I promise you that I'll take care of you, I'll do anything to make sure you feel better in no time," he said and smiled.

John smiled, face warming as he leaned into Sherlock's touch. He pulled himself up just enough to kiss Sherlock again, but the effort was too much to make it last and he laid back again. "I think if you keep kissing me, I might heal before supper," he said with a smirk.

Sherlock chuckled, "well, I better get to it then, hmm?" He smiled and leaned down to kiss John again, prying his mouth open with his tongue and deepening the kiss. Moaning softly, he tangled their tongues together for a few moments before pulling away, slightly breathless. "We better stop... I'm not sure your father would appreciate walking in on a snogging session," he said and winked at John.

John let Sherlock delve into his mouth, sliding his hand to the back of his neck. He wished that he could move better and get closer but for now this would have to do. He pouted a little when Sherlock pulled away, but he had a point. His father could come back any minute. "I fully expect you to continue the next time we're alone," he said, releasing his hold on Sherlock and let his arm fall back to the bed.

Sherlock smiled deviously, "Oh don't worry, love. I intend to take _**very**_ good care of you once we have some time to ourselves." He leaned in and whispered in John's ear, "consider me your personal slave and nurse until you are well again."

John flushed and swallowed hard. He licked his lips and tried not to imagine Sherlock tending to his...every need as he didn't want an erection when his father could come back any second. "You are too good to me," he said to Sherlock, kissing the side of his face where he could reach.

Footsteps approached a moment later and Mr. Watson had stepped back into the room. He looked solemn, but was trying to hide it with a weak smile. "I'm going home, John. The doctors said they won't release you until tomorrow and I think I know who you'd rather have hanging around with you." He moved over to the bed and kissed John on the forehead. "Goodnight, lad. Rest up." Then he turned to Sherlock and put his hand out to shake. "Take care of him for me."

Sherlock stood and took Mr. Watson's hand, gripping it firmly, "of course," he said and smiled, "always." He sat down next to his boyfriend again once John's father left and kissed his forehead. "Do you need me to get you anything, love?" he murmured and smiled lovingly at him.

John shook his head. "I'm alright as long as you're here," he said, smiling back. "But do you think you could..." He shifted around a little, trying to see if he could make room in the bed around his various wires. "I'd like it if you could get in here with me. I know I'm going to have nightmares tonight. It always happens after something like this."

Sherlock nodded, "of course, I'd love to," he said and helped him rearrange the wires and blankets so they could both fit in the bed together. He slid his arm under John's head and laid it on his shoulder, wrapping his arm around him.

John snuggled in closer to Sherlock, sighing contentedly. "Thank you." He brushed his lips over Sherlock's and closed his eyes. "If I fall asleep, I'm sorry, but I'm feeling kind of tired." As if to emphasize the point, he yawned.

"It's okay, I like watching you sleep," Sherlock said and smiled at John. "Besides, I think you more than deserve some rest." He lifted his hand to run his fingers softly through John's hair, massaging his scalp lightly. He started humming the song he had begun writing for John that morning, trying to soothe him to sleep.

John relaxed, listening and feeling the comforting sound of Sherlock's baritone voice as he hummed. He had never heard the song before, but it was beautiful, and he soon found himself falling away into visions of himself and Sherlock, dancing to the sounds of violins.

By the time Sherlock finished humming the song, Mycroft had re-entered the room. He looked up at his older brother, "did you ask him?" he said softly, trying not to wake John. Mycroft nodded, "and?..." Sherlock said, looking at him expectantly. Mycroft cracked a small grin, "He said he'd take care of it, if it came to that."

Sherlock sighed and smiled, "Good... that's good." Mycroft nodded and left the room. Sherlock held John tighter and kissed his temple, settling in beside him and falling asleep shortly after.

John slept for a while, rather peacefully. His mind was just as tired as his body so it couldn't even be bothered to generate bad dreams. When he awoke he found himself still safely snuggled in Sherlock's arms and he smiled, pressing his face into the other boy's neck and closing his eyes again. He didn't sleep, but lifted a hand to trail up and down Sherlock's arm.

Sherlock slept soundly knowing that John was safe in his arms. He felt a touch on his arm and hummed sleepily, rearranging his head and keeping his eyes closed.

John let his mind drift, thinking about Sherlock and how now they wouldn't have to worry about being attacked anymore. At least for the time being. He just hoped that Moran and the others didn't try to find them outside of school. The chances were slim, but still possible. If they did, John would protect Sherlock until the end.

Sherlock let his eyes flutter open and he smiled down at John, "hello there," he murmured and stretched his legs a little. John grinned up at him. "Hello." He shifted a little, but everything was still sore and he groaned in pain. "This sucks," he said. "What time is it?" He looked around but there wasn't a clock in the room.

"Mmm... does it matter?" Sherlock whispered and pressed his lips against John's, keeping the kisses soft and slow. He stroked his fingers across his boyfriend's side, being as gentle as possible. Sherlock knew how sore John probably was, having gone through the same pain himself a couple days before.

John kissed Sherlock back, tensing a bit as his hand moved toward his side. But Sherlock was careful and the areas he touched just tingled with the sensation of the loving caress. He relaxed again, enjoying the attention and letting Sherlock take the lead on the kiss. He was still tired and he couldn't move too much without extra pain. And part of him liked being doted on by Sherlock.

Sherlock moaned softly and continued to kiss John, caressing the other boy's tongue with his own. He pulled away to place kisses to the bruises on his face and neck, then placed one on his nose. "I love you," he whispered and closed his eyes, resting their foreheads together.

John felt his chest swell at how sweet Sherlock was being with him. Each spot that Sherlock kissed felt better, better than they had felt with any painkiller he had been given. "I love you, too, Sherlock," John said, tilting up to kiss him one more time, chastely. "Very much."

"You sure you don't need anymore rest?" Sherlock asked. He knew that they wouldn't be leaving the hospital until the morning and he wanted to make sure John was well rested before they got home. He had plans for him once they were alone with no chance of anyone interrupting.

John rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I think I'm alright for now. If I need more sleep, I'll tell you." He grinned up at his boyfriend and pressed his palm to Sherlock's chest. He could feel his heart beating beneath it, and he suddenly realised how much he loved the feeling, that Sherlock's heart beat for him alone, just as his did for Sherlock.

Sherlock smiled and wrapped his hand around John's on his chest. They spent the rest of the day like that, curled up on the bed together. They talked about everything and exchanged kisses every now and then.

By the time morning had come, John was feeling much better, even if he was a little sore around the edges. The doctor came in to unhook him from the machines and tell him he was free to go. Once he had left, John carefully got up and dressed in his clothes from the day before. He was limping a bit, but not too terribly. Turning to face Sherlock, he smiled and held out a hand. "Ready to go?"

Sherlock took his boyfriend's hand and helped him out of the hospital and to the car. When they got there, Mycroft opened the door for them before getting into the driver's seat. "Where am I taking you, John?" he asked, smiling back at him in the rear view mirror.

John was a little annoyed with himself that he needed help, but he let Sherlock assist him only as much as he needed. When they were in the car and Mycroft asked where to go, he shrugged a little. "I don't know. I guess I should go home." He looked to Sherlock, reluctant to leave him. "But you know, Da should be working so maybe if you want to come over for a bit," he said with a smirk.

Sherlock chuckled and winked at his boyfriend, "Oh yes, I think I'd like that." Mycroft rolled his eyes, "okay, that's quite enough. I'll need you to give me directions to your flat, John, so if you could please stop making doe eyes at my brother..." he raised an eyebrow as he looked back at John.

John blushed a bit and faced forward, but he settled a hand on Sherlock's leg. "Right. Sorry." He told Mycroft how to get to the flat and soon they were pulling up on the street outside. He was a bit embarrassed for Mycroft to even see the outside of it. Sherlock was one thing, but he didn't know how Mycroft would feel about his lower status.

Sherlock smiled reassuringly at John, knowing he concerned he was about what Mycroft thought. He seemed impassive however and didn't make any comments about his boyfriend's living conditions, for which Sherlock was very grateful. He helped John out of the car and up the stairs, keeping a hand at the small of his back as he unlocked the door.

John made his way inside, leading Sherlock down the hall to the left where the bedrooms were. He opened his bedroom door and went in. It was a small room, not much besides a bed and bookshelf. There was also a small nightstand and a closet, which made up the rest of the space. John turned to look at Sherlock and shrugged half-heartedly. "Well, here it is."

Sherlock looked around the room, it was small but very lovely. He smiled at John and walked towards him, wrapping his arms gently around his boyfriend's waist. "I like it," he said softly and leaned down to kiss John.

He slid their tongues together for a few moments before leaning back and picking John up in his arms and laying him gently on the bed. "Looks like you've got yourself a pretty nice setup here. I'd like to try out the bed sometime when you're feeling up to it." He winked at the other boy and joined him in the bed, laying so they were side by side, facing each other.

John smiled a little, glad Sherlock liked it. He kissed him back, but yelped as he was lifted, arms automatically circling around Sherlock's neck. He let himself be lowered to the bed and when Sherlock laid down he took both of his hands and laced their fingers together. "Any time you want, starting tomorrow," he said.

"Mmm... I just my have to take you up on that," Sherlock said and smiled. He ran his fingers softly over John's lower back and pulled him a little closer. "Do you need any of your pain medication? I can get some for you..." he said and kissed his boyfriend's forehead.

John was about to say no, but then he looked at Sherlock with a smirk. "Yes, Doctor Sherlock, I could use some medicine but I don't want you to leave this bed. Your lips will have to do." He leaned in and pressed his lips to Sherlock's, parting them to lock together.

Sherlock groaned and reached one of his hands up to tangle in John's hair at the back of his head. He opened his mouth willingly and plunged his tongue into his boyfriend's mouth.

He grabbed hold of John's tongue with his teeth and sucked on it before letting go and sucking on his lower lip instead. Once he was done, he pulled away for air and breathed John's name against his lips. Then he began placing kisses on every bruise he saw.

John moaned softly and let Sherlock work his magic. His mouth was so talented, it was a shock that his first experience was with John only a few days ago. He slipped his legs between Sherlock's so they were loosely tangled together.

When Sherlock pulled back, he moved forward trying to catch him again. But as he started kissing the bruises, John just laid back and let out a soft hum. Every spot he touched tingled with relief from the pain. "I love you..."

"I love you too, John," Sherlock whispered against his skin, "so much." He continued to kiss John's throat and face in between words, "I... promise... you... I... will... protect... you." He pulled back and looked deep in his boyfriend's eyes, stroking his face. "I will do anything, _**anything**_, that I need to do to keep you safe."

John listened to Sherlock and could hear the depth of emotion in his voice, which matched the emotion in his eyes, and he felt his heart warming. It touched him that someone cared so much about him, and John found his eyes watering as he stared back into Sherlock's bright blue eyes. "I would do the same for you. You're the most precious thing in my life," he said, voice a little choked.

Sherlock smiled as tears came to his own eyes. He held John close and gave him soft kisses on the lips, running his hands gently up and down his back.

John kissed Sherlock in return, forgetting all about the soreness of his injuries. In fact, he was feeling nearly one hundred percent better, and he knew it was because of Sherlock. He made a soft sound into Sherlock's lips and tilted his head a little as they kissed.

Sherlock felt his heart pounding, wanting so very badly to take things farther but he didn't want to hurt John. He got an idea and pressed forward until John was laying on his back. He released his boyfriend's lips and pulled away far enough to look into his eyes. "I want to try something... Will you let me?" he whispered and searched John's face.

John looked up at Sherlock as the other boy rolled them over. He smiled and put a hand to his cheek. "Do anything you like. I trust you." He knew that Sherlock would take good care of him and he would listen if John needed him to stop.

Sherlock smiled and lifted John's shirt up, taking it off slowly and gently so he wouldn't risk hurting him. He tossed it away and slid his hands down his boyfriend's sides, settling them on either side of his waist. Slowly, he leaned towards John's torso and let his lips ghost over every bruise and cut, breathing out softly and looking up at John for any signs of discomfort.

John watched, only wincing slightly at the shifting he had to do to get his shirt off. He felt each bruise and cut as Sherlock kissed them, but they only felt tingly and warm. He felt as if they were actually healing under Sherlock's touch. He sighed, relaxed, and laid still as Sherlock moved over him.

Sherlock made sure to kiss each and every injury before moving back up to John's lips and kissing him deeply, pouring out his heart and soul into it. As he kissed him, he started to undo John's trousers and slipped his hand into his pants, grabbing hold of his erection and pumping it slowly.

John could feel everything in Sherlock's lips, as if he were saying in to him out loud. He kissed him back, trying to show that it was all reciprocated. It wasn't a surprise that John was getting hard with all this attention. And how could he not anyway, when the most gorgeous boy and his only love was even just in bed with him. So he was glad when Sherlock moved his hand down to touch him, and he moaned softly at the strokes.

Sherlock kept stroking John's arousal as he pulled away and put his lips right up to his boyfriend's ear. He whispered sweet things like: "I love you so much" and "You're so beautiful." Everything he'd thought about the other boy since the day they met and every feeling he'd felt since they first kissed coming out through every touch and word.

John felt himself becoming completely lost in the sound of Sherlock's voice, the feel of his touch, and the emotion involved. The world was just him and Sherlock, as it always should be. "Sherlock...oh, God, _**Sherlock**_..." His hips rocked up, meeting Sherlock's hand as he felt heat building in his lower region.

"That's it, love... Let me hear you," Sherlock purred in John's ear and nipped at his earlobe. He swiped his thumb over the slit, gathering the precum and using it to make his hand slick. Just the sight of John coming apart by his touch and the sound of his boyfriend's voice, deep with lust, was making Sherlock hard. He rutted desperately against the sheets, trying to find friction for his aching arousal.

John moaned more loudly and reached up to wrap his arms around Sherlock's neck. He was nearly there and he bucked into Sherlock's hand easily with the natural lubricant. "S-so close..." he whimpered, clinging tightly to his lover.

There was a slight pain in his hips from the movement but he ignored it as with a few more upward thrusts he was reaching his climax. He cried out, Sherlock's name somewhere within a string of noises. As he felt the last of his pleasure wash through him, he laid back and panted.

Sherlock closed his eyes and soaked in each sound that came from John's mouth, biting his lip and moaning when he found his release. He kissed his boyfriend on the cheek before reaching down and popping open his own trousers. He pulled them down his hips with his clean hand and wrapped the hand covered in John's cum around his own cock and began stroking himself.

John was about to stop Sherlock when he started stroking himself, but he didn't think he could muster the energy to finish him after such a satisfying release. Besides that, the sight of Sherlock pleasuring himself, with the hand that was covered in him, was just too hot. He knew that he would have instantly been hard again just seeing this if he hadn't just came. But just because he wasn't the one doing it, didn't mean he couldn't make it like he was. "Twist your hand," he said softly, leaning up to whisper in his ear.

Sherlock groaned and did as John told him, whimpering at the tone of his voice. He apparently had a thing for dirty talk during sex because just hearing his boyfriend was bringing him closer to his climax.

John smirked. He could have fun with this. "Imagine me touching you, everywhere. Every spot that makes you go crazy," he said, voice low. "Go faster. Squeeze just a little tighter."

He reached up a hand to card through Sherlock's curls. "If I could I would flip you over and fuck you into the mattress." Where was this coming from, this sudden enjoyment of talking to Sherlock this way?

"Oh, God... _**John**_," Sherlock moaned and started stroking faster, his orgasm approaching quicker with every word. His imagination went wild as he envisioned John pounding into him. He whimpered and moaned, his grip tightening around his cock.

"Come on, Sherlock. Come for me," he whispered. "I want you to scream my name." He pulled himself up enough to kiss Sherlock's neck, enjoying that just his voice alone could have such an effect on Sherlock. They would certainly have to try this again.

Sherlock panted, his mouth wide open as his strokes grew frantic. Within seconds he was coming, his back arched clear off the mattress. "J-John!" he screamed at the top of his voice and collapsed on the bed, heaving breath into his lungs and focusing on slowing his racing heartbeat.

John watched in awe as Sherlock brought himself to orgasm just by listening to him. He moved over to kiss his ear when he finally finished and then laid his head on Sherlock's shoulder. "That was extremely hot, by the way," he said, tracing patterns on Sherlock's chest.

Sherlock let out a breathless chuckle, "I'm glad you thought so, love. It was quite... arousing seeing you come apart by my hand." He turned his head to smile at John. Lifting his hand up, he grimaced, "I guess I should probably clean this up."

John flushed but a smirk graced his lips. "It's hard not to when I have such a sexy boy touching me." He laughed a little at Sherlock's face. "The bathroom is down the hall on the right side if you want to wash your hands." Not that he really wanted Sherlock to leave the bed but he supposed he could live without him for a few seconds.

Sherlock got up and washed his hands quickly, running back to join John on the bed. He wrapped his arms gently around him and kissed him softly on the lips. "I was thinking... we should have the dinner Friday night. That way you could spend the night with me after."

John immediately snuggled back into Sherlock's arms when he returned and smiled up at him. "That would be very nice. I feel like you already have some ideas in mind," he teased, poking Sherlock in the nose. He tucked his head under Sherlock's chin and closed his eyes. He was so happy with him.

Sherlock laughed, "yes I do." He kissed John again and winked, "and none of them are innocent." He pulled John close to him and sighed happily, "I love you, John."

John blushed at Sherlock's admission, wondering what he had in store for him. He looked up at the other boy and smiled. "I love you, too." He kissed the underside of Sherlock's jaw tenderly.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: We bring you more teenlock! We do miss those reviews and hope to hear some more from you guys after this chapter. There's a little bit more angst coming, so keep those tissues close!

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Sherlock hummed in content, "so, what can we do to occupy ourselves for the rest of the day?" He ran his fingers softly through John's hair and closed his eyes.

"We can talk," John suggested. He paused for a moment to think of what they might talk about. One idea popped into his head. "We're graduating this year," he said. "What are you going to do afterward?"

Sherlock smiled, oh if only he knew his plans... "I have some ideas... probably going to uni for forensics, I've always been fascinated by solving crimes," he said and shrugged. "What about you?"

John was surprised by that. He knew with Sherlock's intelligence that he could do anything, but solving crimes was something he hadn't thought of. "That's interesting," he said. "You already know that I want to be a doctor. But the thing is, there's no way I could ever afford school, so I'm going to have to go into the army and they'll pay for it." After he said that, though, he watched Sherlock's face. He didn't know how he would take the information.

Sherlock felt his heart drop, "the... army? You... no! You can't!" He retreated to the other side of the bed, shaking his head, "you can't leave me... I... I'll get mum and dad to pay for your school, you can't... you promised you wouldn't leave," he murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper at the last few words.

John cursed himself. He shouldn't have said anything. He was stupid, bringing up that topic. "Sherlock, no, don't get upset." He crawled over to him and grabbed his hands. "Stay with me, Sherlock. Listen." He smoothed one hand over his hair. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm not going anywhere, ok? I promise."

Sherlock looked up at John with tears in his eyes, "do you have any idea what I would go through if anything bad were to happen to you? If you were killed? It would destroy me..." he whispered. "I can't lose you, John, and I can't live without you. Ever."

John's heart broke. He had made Sherlock cry again. Leaning forward, he kissed him softly. "I know. And it would kill me to be apart from you for so long. But I can't accept money from you, not that kind of money." He rubbed a hand over his face. "I'll just have to figure something else out."

Sherlock shook his head, "no, you shouldn't have to... If that's what you really want, we'll make things work," he said. He never meant to make John feel guilty and he shouldn't have to sacrifice his dreams just because of Sherlock. It was a selfish thing to ask of him.

John bit his lip. "I don't really want to, but I mean, just look at this place. We can barely afford this, let alone for me to go to school." He sighed and hung his head. "I'm not smart enough for scholarships, I don't have a job. I don't know what I could do besides the army. And now that I have you, I really don't want to leave." He looked back up at Sherlock, wishing there was some other way.

Sherlock cupped John's cheek and attempted a smile, "we'll make it work. I don't want to ask you to give up on your dreams, it wouldn't be fair of me. I'm sure something will come up, and if it doesn't, well... you'll just have to write me as often as you can from the army."

John leaned into Sherlock's touch, but he couldn't smile. He hadn't thought about how much it would hurt to be away from Sherlock until he thought about the army. It wasn't even like Uni where they could visit as often as they wanted. He'd be so far away, fighting in whatever war was going on. He wouldn't be able to kiss Sherlock or touch him or hear his voice. "Oh, God, Sherlock..." He leaned forward into Sherlock, pressing his face into the other boy's chest.

Sherlock felt his heart clench and he brought his hand up to the back of John's head. He took his other hand and put it on the small of his back, stroking gently. "Shhh... It's okay, John. It'll all be fine," he whispered soothingly.

John squeezed his eyes shut against the tears. He clung to Sherlock, trying to calm himself. This wasn't good, not for either of them. After a little while, he had gotten himself under control, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. But he stayed snuggled into Sherlock and kept his eyes closed. "I'm sorry..."

"No, don't be sorry, love. I know this is what you want and I'll be here to support you every step of the way, no matter what." Sherlock placed a kiss to the top of John's head and maneuvered them until they were laying down again with John's head resting on his shoulder.

John looked up at him, eyes still a little watery. "You know that I wouldn't unless I absolutely had to," he said softly. "I never want to be away from you." He reached over for one of Sherlock's hands, twining their fingers together.

"I know, love... I know," Sherlock said softly and sighed. Whatever John decided, he would be there for him any way he could. They talked some more into the afternoon and Sherlock hummed his song again, lulling John to sleep because he knew he needed the rest.

John slept soundly for a little, but soon his dreams began to shift.

**_He was with Sherlock and his family and his father, having their dinner and laughing and smiling. There was a knock at the door. John got up to answer it._**

**_Two men dressed in army fatigues were standing there, holding up another uniform for him. He shook his head. "No, I don't want to go." He said, and he turned back towards the table. But the places had been abandoned. "Sherlock? Sherlock!"_**

**_The men stuffed him into the uniform and they dragged him away. He was thrown into a dusty path of dirt where another man was standing above him. Moran, dressed as a superior officer. "Get up!" he demanded. John forced himself up and Moran knocked him down. _**

**_"Get up!" Moran started kicking him, punching him, everything he had done when he had beaten him. Soon there were other, John was surrounded. He cried out for Sherlock, but no help came. But he didn't black out this time. He was conscious of every single blow._**

Sherlock felt John shifting in his arms and he realised he must be having another bad dream. "John? Love, it's me..." He started placing kisses on his face, trying to wake him.

John squirmed, the feeling of the kisses translating badly into his dream as slaps to the face. His hands scrambled to grab onto something but he they waved in the air, unable to find Sherlock.

When John started jerking his arms around, Sherlock tried to grab them and hold him still. He put his mouth right up to John's ear, "John, it's me. It's Sherlock... Wake up, okay? Please wake up," he whispered.

John felt Sherlock trying to restrain him as Moran holding him down. But he could hear Sherlock's voice and he looked for him wildly. "Sherlock?" he called, which came from his sleeping self more slurred.

Sherlock let John go, but kept his face close to his ear. "Yes, John. I'm right here, I need you to wake up, okay? Just wake up for me, love," he murmured softly.

John watched as everything he could see faded away. He followed the sound of Sherlock's voice back to reality, eyes opening and Sherlock's form appearing in his vision. John's arms immediately encircled him and he tried to shake the nightmare from his mind.

Sherlock hugged John tightly and ran his hands up and down his back, "It's okay, I've got you. You're safe, you'll be all right," he whispered and placed a kiss to John's temple. He wondered what John could have been dreaming about that caused him to be so scared.

John hung onto Sherlock, trying to calm his racing heart. He was never going to get back to sleep now. After a while he finally relaxed, slumping against Sherlock and breathing deeply. "I hate nightmares," he muttered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, I know how they can be, trust me." Sherlock smiled reassuringly at John, "is there anything I can do to help?" he asked and brushed a few stray hairs away from his boyfriend's face.

John laughed a little, but there was no mirth behind it. "Only if you can remove memories from my brain." As long as he remembered, he was about to keep having nightmares. It was an unfortunate truth, but it was just the way his mind worked.

Sherlock frowned, "I can only do that with my brain..." he murmured and swallowed thickly. There were several memories of the beatings he'd taken from Moran and the others that he had locked away, several of them worse than the pounding he'd taken mere days ago. He closed his eyes against them as they tried to fight their way back through and he felt a tear run down his face.

John didn't understand how Sherlock could do that, but he wiped the tear away when he saw it. "It's all right, Sherlock. Don't cry." He leaned up to kiss him gently and then buried his face in Sherlock's neck. "How can you possibly get rid of your memories?" he asked, curious.

"It's... hard to explain actually," Sherlock said and sighed. "Most of the time I just lock them away, shove them to the deepest part of my mind. Sometimes..." he swallowed, hesitating to finish, but he did anyways. "Sometimes locking them away just isn't enough..." he whispered.

John took Sherlock's hand and squeezed it. "Sorry I asked," he said after seeing him get uncomfortable. "I wish I could do that, though. I get haunted sometimes by my nightmares." He closed his eyes and thought about trying to lock up the memories but the more he thought about them the stronger they became, so he gave up.

Sherlock relaxed, glad John didn't ask him what he meant. That was a part of his past he wasn't sure John could accept. "Don't linger on them," he said, sensing what John was trying to do, "you give them more power when you do that. Just... think about something else, something that makes you happy."

John sighed and he looked up at Sherlock. "I don't need to think about it. I've got you right here." He locked their lips together in a slow kiss, using the touch of his lover's lips to draw away the emotional pain as they had done with the physical.

Sherlock kissed back tenderly, cupping John's face and stroking his cheek with his thumb. He pulled away after a few moments and smiled, "you are amazing," he sighed.

"As are you," John murmured against his lips, feeling content in Sherlock's embrace.

The rest of the week went by quickly and John found himself back on his feet and feeling completely better. Friday afternoon, however, he was feeling nervous, as tonight was the night he was meant to meet Sherlock's father and officially have dinner with the family.

He had put on his nicest outfit, which wound up being just a jumper with a button down shirt underneath and some jeans. His father was home from work, and John was surprised he had managed to get off for something like this. But he was glad. He wanted everything to be perfect tonight, and having his father there was a big plus.

They took his father's car, John giving him directions. Mr. Watson's reaction to the house as they pulled up was much the same as John's was but he smiled at him. "Don't worry. They don't really care too much about the difference." He and his father stepped out and rang the doorbell.

Sherlock was pacing the foyer as he waited for John and his father to arrive. He was dressed in a deep purple button up shirt that was tailored just for him, so it fit him perfectly. He also had on black dress pants which were also tailored.

As soon as the doorbell rang he jerked his head up and smiled, running to the door. "Hello, Mr. Watson," he said and shook the man's hand. "Hello, John," he beamed at his boyfriend and kissed him on the cheek briefly. "Please, come in."

Mr. Watson shook Sherlock's hand firmly. "Good to see you, son."

Sherlock lead them through the foyer to the side dining room. It was smaller than the dining hall where they had dinner the other night and was reserved for more intimate dinners like this one. He pulled out a chair for John, "Mother and father will be joining us any moment," he said and took his seat next to his boyfriend.

John grinned at Sherlock as they were led to the dining room. Yes, it was smaller, but no less elegant. The table was made of smooth dark wood with matching chairs and a cream runner was draped across the length, which happened to match John's jumper. The china was simple with a swirling rose-coloured design around the rim which caught the colouring of the walls.

His father sat opposite as John sat in the chair Sherlock had pulled out for him. "Thank you," he said as he pulled himself closer to the table.

Sherlock's parents joined them shortly after they were seated. Sherlock's mother was dressed in a two piece grey tweed suit with a pink chiffon blouse and had her salt and pepper hair pulled back in a loose bun. His father was tall and slender, much like Sherlock was and his hair was completely grey. He was wearing a black blazer with a dark blue button down shirt and black dress pants.

Mr. Holmes pulled out the chair for his wife and smiled lovingly at her as she was seated. He reached across the table and held out his hand to John, "It's very nice to meet you finally, John. I've heard such great things about you," he said and smiled.

John smiled to see Mrs. Holmes again. She was such a lovely woman and she made him feel welcome. Sherlock's father was quite handsome and he could see now where his boyfriend got his cheekbones. He shook Mr. Holmes's hand and smiled, speaking as politely as he could. "It's nice to meet you as well. Thank you for having us."

"Yes, indeed, thank you," John's father agreed. "Hamish Watson," he said, extending his hand to the Holmeses.

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Watson," Sherlock's mother smiled and shook his hand, "my name is Violet Holmes, this is my husband, Siger." Mr. Holmes took Hamish's hand and grinned, "good to meet you, sir," he said and sat down. "Well, it seems our boys have taken quite a liking to each other, hmm?" Mrs. Holmes said and winked at Sherlock, chuckling softly.

"Yes, indeed," Mr. Watson agreed. "I must admit it was a shock to me at first. John's never really expressed any interest in, well, boys."

John blushed a little, looking at Sherlock. "Well, it didn't really matter, boy or girl. Sherlock is Sherlock, and he's my heart."

Sherlock blushed and smiled, "John is amazing," he said, "I honestly can't live without him." Sherlock's mother beamed at them, "they are certainly quite a fetching couple, reminds me of Siger and I when we were dating." She reached over and took her husband's hand.

John took Sherlock's hand under the table and grinned. If they were anything like Mr. and Mrs. Holmes he would be very grateul. They seemed to have a very strong marriage.

Mr. Holmes smiled at his wife and squeezed her hand lightly, "I suppose that's a good sign then," he said and chuckled. The butler brought in their salads and after he had placed them on the table and left, Mr. Holmes turned to John's father. "So, Mr. Watson, what is it you do for a living?"

At Mr. Holmes's question, John looked over to his father who seemed a little nervous about answering. "Well, I...I am a mechanic. I work in a shop on the outskirts of the city." John didn't miss the omission of his other job, but he figured his father just didn't want to tell them that he had to work two jobs to survive.

Sherlock frowned, he had an idea of why John's father didn't mention his second job, and it wasn't anything good. He quickly smiled before John could see the change in his demeanor and changed the topic to school. They continued to talk, Hamish and Siger seeming to get along very well, talking about things they had in common, which suprisingly was quite a bit.

John was having a great time, glad to see that his father and Sherlock's getting along so great. He really liked Sherlock's parents a lot. He wondered in the back of his mind where Mycroft was, but the elder Holmes boy seemed to be aloof at times, so maybe this sort of dinner wasn't ideal for him.

After dinner was served and everyone ate, Sherlock walked with John to take his father to the door to say goodbye. He wrapped an arm around his boyfriend's waist, settling his hand on his hip. "Come back anytime, Mr. Watson," Sherlock said and smiled at the man.

John leaned into Sherlock with a smile. Mr. Watson grinned back at Sherlock and nodded. "Thank you very much for having us. Goodnight boys."

"Night, Da." John waved as his father got into his car and drove off. Then he turned to Sherlock and smiled brightly. "That went well I think."

Sherlock smiled, "yes, I think so too." He leaned down and kissed John firmly. "Let's go upstairs, shall we?" he said and grabbed John's hand, practically dragging him up the stairs.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: Here we are with another installment of this wonderful story! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the story so far and all of you keeping up with it. We are having such a good time writing this for all of you! Enjoy!

PS, **lots** of angst in this chapter... be warned.

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When they got to Sherlock's room, he closed the door and pushed John against it, pressing his lips to the other boy's. He reached down to grab hold of his boyfriend's arse with one hand, pressing his other one on the door next to John's head. "I have wanted you... all week," he whispered huskily against his lover's mouth.

John followed Sherlock eagerly upstairs and let out a soft pleased sound as he was pinned back. He kissed him back, humming at the attention to his backside. Without opening his eyes, he tilted his head and buried his fingers in Sherlock's curls on the back of his head. "Why don't you do something about it?" he said, slowly grinding his hips forward.

Sherlock growled and hoisted John up, wrapping his legs around his waist. He pressed him against the door, grinding back into him for a few moments before moving back and carrying him over to the bed.

"God, you're so sexy," Sherlock breathed and pulled off John's jumper, swiftly undoing the buttons on his shirt and pushing it aside, not even bothering to take it completely off before he attacked his torso with his mouth.

John moaned and tightened his legs around Sherlock, his arms around the other boy's neck. He liked Sherlock getting rough with him and he moaned again more loudly as the other boy's hips found his. Laying back with his arms splayed, John arched into Sherlock's mouth as it set fire to his skin. He was glad his injuries had all healed. He wanted full enjoyment out of this.

John tangled his fingers in Sherlock's hair, pushing him lower, getting him closer. There was always too much space between them.

Sherlock made quick work of John's trousers and pants, yanking them off and tossing them away. He needed more of his lover's skin available to his touch and he wanted so very badly to hear his voice crying out in lust.

John let his head fall back with a moan as he was fully exposed. Everywhere that Sherlock touched, his muscles twitched. It was as though he were hardwired to Sherlock. He reached up to start undoing Sherlock's shirt, exposing the gorgeous pale skin which he proceeded to roam, fingers grazing the smooth lines of his body.

Sherlock hissed in pleasure as he felt John's fingers on his skin and he reached down to take his own trousers and pants off with shaking hands. Once he was fully nude, he laid on top of his boyfriend and ground their erections side by side, moaning and panting.

John cried out, clutching Sherlock's shoulders before moving down to drag his nails over Sherlock's back. There would certainly be red marks there the next day. He bucked his hips up, meeting Sherlock and groaning at the feeling of their fully bared arousals rubbing together.

After several minutes the friction just wasn't enough and Sherlock growled and pulled away, taking two of his fingers and sucking on them before reaching behind himself and pushing one of them inside his entrance. "I want you to fuck me," he panted, head thrown back, "I want you to pound into me John... I want to feel you deep inside me, just like this." At the end of his last sentence he took both of his fingers and shoved them deep into his own arse, leaning himself to the side so John had a perfect view of what he was doing.

When Sherlock started sucking his fingers, John thought that he was about to put them into him. But he was surprised to see Sherlock begin to prepare himself, and the sight was..._gorgeous_. John bit his lip against a groan bubbling in his chest as he watched Sherlock finger himself, and his cock gave an aching throb.

"Oh, fuck, Sherlock..." He put a hand out to Sherlock's bedside table, searching without turning for the condoms because he couldn't take his eyes off of the other boy. Finally he found the box, grabbed one, and ripped it open, whimpering as he rolled it on.

Sherlock locked lips with John again, kissing him deeply as he moved his hips up until he was able to feel the tip of John's cock pressing against his entrance. He groaned into the kiss as he pushed down, encasing John's entire length inside of him up to the hilt. After a few moments, he started rocking his hips hard and fast, trying to get his lover to the right angle to be pounding into his prostate with every thrust.

John moaned into Sherlock's mouth as the other boy came down on him. He was so tight, the feeling was incredible. He worked his hips up, meeting Sherlock's each time he moved, wanting him to enjoy this as much as he was.

After a few minutes of that, he pushed up so that their positions were flipped. Putting his hands on either side of Sherlock's head to hold himself up, he started to thrust his hips hard, slamming into Sherlock and trying to get deeper each time.

"John... Oh, God, _**John**_... Fuck!" Sherlock moaned and clutched at his lover's back as he pounded into him, reaching the right angle to hit his prostate dead on. This was just the most incredible thing he'd ever experienced. Sex with John was the only thing that ever made him feel this alive, feel this _wanted_.

John knew he must be getting Sherlock's sweet spot by his reaction, so he didn't dare stop. He had never felt such a combination of pleasure and passion. Even their first time together was more love with sex. This time it was sex with love, and there was a difference.

The fast pace, the hard thrusts, the possessiveness that suddenly came over him as he bent his head to suck a mark onto Sherlock's easily markable skin. He wrapped one hand around Sherlock's cock and stroked in time with his hips, groaning against Sherlock's skin and choking out, "Fuck, Sherlock...Oh, God..."

"John, Oh... So close, so _**fucking**_ close," Sherlock panted and thrust up into John's hand. He reached up to pull John down into a possessive kiss, thrusting his tongue into his mouth, stroking, tasting, _consuming_ him. He whimpered as he felt a shiver make its way through his body and his arsehole convulsing around his lover's cock.

John fought with Sherlock's tongue, pushing it back so that he could invade his mouth, even going so far as to nip the end of it. He gasped and squeezed Sherlock as he felt the pressure building around him and in another moment he had reached his climax, thrusting through it until he had fully released. He could hardly breathe with how hard he had come, and it took all of his strength not to collapse completely on top of Sherlock.

Sherlock came at the same moment that John reached his orgasm and he closed his eyes to focus on breathing properly again. He panted for several minutes and pulled John fully on top of him. "Christ..." he breathed and rubbed his hands softly up and down his lover's back.

John took deep breaths trying to calm his pounding heart. He couldn't think of anything to say to describe such an amazing experience so when Sherlock spoke he just said, "Yeah, that." He chuckled softly and shifted so that he could bury his face in Sherlock's neck, and he trailed soft kisses over the area that he could reach. "I would never think," he said against his skin, "that you were a virgin only a few days ago. You're a fantastic lover."

Sherlock blushed, "really? Well... I have to say that I think you are quite fantastic yourself, I've never felt so... pleasured before." He hugged John tightly to him and sighed happily. "Mmm... I think I will have no trouble sleeping all night after that," he said and chuckled.

"Don't worry. There's much more where that came from." John smiled and snuggled against his boyfriend. "I would have to agree there. I'm thoroughly spent now, and I'm quite comfortable with you as a pillow." He closed his eyes, humming softly in content.

Sherlock smiled and held John close, sleeping more soundly that night than he ever had before. The next morning, he awoke with John still sleeping on top of him and he kissed his temple, smoothing his hands up and down his bare back, trying to wake him softly.

John slept with only happy dreams, feeling quite well-rested by the time Sherlock's kisses woke him up. He left his eyes closed but made a soft sound and nuzzled into Sherlock's neck further, wanting to stay just where he was for the time being. He reached down for the duvet, pulling it up to his shoulders so it covered both of them.

"Good morning," Sherlock murmured and snuggled closer to John, "I hope you slept well." He kissed John on the temple and swiftly turned them over so he was hovering over his boyfriend, "because we have to get up now... Mum and dad are out for the day and we have the whole house to ourselves. I want to show you around," he said and smiled.

Sherlock gave John a quick peck on the lips before jumping out of bed to get dressed. "Get up! There's a lot to show you," he said and winked at his boyfriend before walking out the door to the bathroom.

John's eyes flew open as Sherlock flipped them and he stared up at the other boy, blinking to try and wake himself further. He sat up as Sherlock got off the bed and yawned before getting up to dress as well.

He pulled his clothes on and followed the other boy out of the bedroom. "Did we have to do this first thing in the morning?" he asked around another yawn. "I was enjoying sleeping with you." He caught up with Sherlock and leaned on him, eyes closed.

Sherlock was about to say something back when saw someone in the hallway with them and froze... It was Sebastian. "What are you doing here?" he said through gritted teeth. Moran laughed, the sound of it causing shivers to run down Sherlock's spine."I thought I'd just pay you two a visit, see how you were doing," Sebastian said and grinned evilly.

John was awake in an instant and turned around, pushing Sherlock behind him. "Get. Out," he spat at Sebastian. "You don't have your little posse to gang up on me this time. I _**will**_ take you down." His anger was burning hot inside of him. How had Moran even gotten inside in the first place? Well, it didn't matter. He was going to make sure he never came back.

Sebastian's grin got wider, "you're right, I don't... But I do have this." He lifted his hand and pointed a gun at them. Sherlock's breath caught and he grabbed onto John's arm. Moran's face transformed into a snarl, "You ruined... everything!" he shouted, "You know I lost my scholarship because of you? Oh yeah! No Uni, no rugby, _**nothing**_!"

John paled at the sight of the gun, but he didn't back down. Moran wouldn't really...would he? "I didn't ruin anything. You ruined it for yourself. You didn't have to beat on me or Sherlock, but you did. And just because you can't deal with the consequences doesn't mean that you have to take it out on us."

They had to get away from him. There had to be a way out of this without getting hurt. He reached his hand back a little, trying to push Sherlock back further, telling him silently to leave.

Sherlock refused to move, he wasn't going to leave John to face this alone. Sebastian's grip on the gun got tighter. "Shut up! Just shut up! It's all your fault! You fucking _**freaks**_!" he shouted. Sherlock saw Moran's finger move right before he went to pull the trigger and screamed, "No!" shoving John out of the way, knocking him to the floor.

The sound of a gunshot rang throughout the hallway and Sherlock felt a sharp pain in his side as he collapsed on the ground. Sebastian's eyes got wide at the sight of blood and he dropped the gun before running away.

John could never have reacted in time. All he could do was watch in slow motion as Sherlock's side burst with red. "Sherlock!" He scrambled over to him, Sebastian forgotten. "Sherlock? Sherlock, please can you hear me?"

He picked him up and cradled him in his arms. "Hang on, love. I'm calling for help." He quickly dialed for an ambulance and shouted the address before tossing his phone. "Stay with me, Sherlock, listen to me." He was crying, hysterically crying, but he barely noticed. All he could see was Sherlock and so much blood...

Sherlock groaned, his vision blurry and he blinked rapidly, trying to focus on his boyfriend's face. "John... Are you alright?" he rasped. He was in pain, so much pain, but all that mattered was if John was hurt. He needed John to be okay.

John laughed, but there was no happiness behind it. "Me? You're the one who got shot." He cupped Sherlock's face, willing him to keep eye contact. "Help is on the way, Sherlock. Please, just...keep your eyes open," he choked out. It couldn't end this way, it just couldn't. They still had so much they were supposed to do together.

Sherlock gasped in pain, but stayed focused on John's face. "I promised to protect you," he whispered, "I love you more than anything, John Watson." He felt his eyelids getting heavy and felt light headed. He was struggling now to stay awake until the ambulance arrived.

John shook his head. This sounded perilously like a goodbye speech. "I love you, too. God, Sherlock, please don't go. Don't leave me..." He bent down as his tears became too much and he had to close his eyes, just repeating 'Please, please' again and again.

Sherlock raised his hand to stroke the back of John's head, offering what comfort he could. "Shhh, it's okay, love. It'll all be all right," he murmured. In the back of his mind he wondered what was taking the ambulance so long to get there. That was his last thought as he let his eyes slip closed, unable to stay awake any longer. His hand dropped as the darkness consumed him.

John clung to Sherlock as he felt his hand fall away. "No... No Sherlock, please! _**Please**_!" He couldn't even form words anymore as sobs wracked his body. Finally the sound of sirens appeared and the door was broken down as not only paramedics but a team of police stormed in.

They ran up the stairs and one of the police tried to pull John away from Sherlock. He screamed and struggled, trying to get back to his boyfriend, to the other half of his very _being_, but they had attached him to a stretcher and were taking him downstairs. Once he was out of sight...John just went limp. There went his one and only, his _soulmate_, his lover and his best friend. He left John as just one half that could never again be complete.

"John!" Sherlock's father made his way through the crowd of police and paramedics and grabbed onto John's shoulders, shaking him. "Get it together, son. You have to tell them what happened, okay? You have to help catch who did this to my boy." He spoke firmly, but was also trying to comfort the boy, knowing how he must feel right now.

John looked up at Mr. Holmes, eyes still dripping with tears. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Holmes. I'm so sorry..." He brought his hands up to his eyes, wiping away the moisture only to have more form. "Moran. Sebastian Moran," he managed, knowing that he needed to get that name out before he completely lost it. "He broke in and he had a gun and...I should have taken that bullet. Sherlock...pushed me out of the way." He fell back into sobs again, eyes squeezed tightly shut.

Mr. Holmes frowned and clutched the boy to him, wrapping his arms around him and bringing one hand up to the back of his head. He looked up at the officer standing nearby who nodded, confirming that he'd heard the name. Siger focused on soothing the boy in his arms as if he were his own child. His youngest loved him and he considered him part of the family now.

"Don't you blame yourself, son. You're not the one that pulled the trigger. There is nothing you could have done, Sherlock did what he felt was necessary to save you. He loves you very much, I can tell. What he needs now is for you to be there for him when he wakes up." Mr. Holmes pulled back and looked at John in the eyes, "go... be with my son," he said and squeezed his shoulder.

John's fingers curled into the fabric of Mr. Holmes's shirt as he tried to control himself, but it was no use. He was shattered, heart and soul. He listened to his deep voice speaking, almost the same tone as...and it only made him cry harder. That is, until he heard his last few words.

John's head shot up, eyes wide. "He's..." Did he dare to hope? Did he let himself start to mend with such a terrible chance of breaking again? He felt his lip trembling, but he held steady now. Mr. Holmes was right. Sherlock needed him, from now to the bitter end. "Thank you," he said softly before getting up and running out to catch the ambulance.

Sherlock's father watched John run away before hoisting himself up off the floor and walking over to the lead detective. "You find that son of a bitch and you make him pay. No matter what it takes," he said firmly, his jaw set and eyes intense. The detective nodded, "yes, sir."

Mr. Holmes followed John out of the house and helped him into the back of the ambulance before getting into his own car to follow them to St. Bart's. He felt overwhelmingly guilty. How could he not have known what his son had been dealing with at school? He vowed to himself to be there for his son more than he had been.

John stayed strong through the ride to the hospital, grip firm on Sherlock's limp hand. He wasn't going to give up yet, not without a fight. The paramedics worked around him, looking scared almost to ask him to move if they needed to get to something. Must be Mr. Holmes' influence, John hadn't realised how powerful it could be. Shaking his head a little he looked back at Sherlock, watching the rise and fall of his chest, thankful for the small movement.

They finally made it to the hospital and they took Sherlock into surgery. John sat in the waiting room, hands clasped together as he stared at the door. Hadn't they just done this a few days ago? Well, one thing was certain, he would make sure that it never happened again.


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: I want to apologize profusely to everyone who has been following this story... due to a combination of incliment weather conditions in my area and no internet for the past few days, I have been unable to post on Friday and Monday like usual. But here I am! The internet is back and the snow has passed, so I will be posting both chapters I missed today (combined into this one chapter here) and as always, SailorXStar and I thank all of you for your wonderful reviews... keep them coming!

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Sherlock's mother burst through the door with her husband and ran to John's side. "John! Oh thank god you're all right," She sighed and hugged him close, tears streaming down her face. "It's going to be okay... Sherlock's a fighter, I know that much about my boy," she said with guilt and a hint of pain in her voice.

John felt a little better seeing Mrs. Holmes and he hugged her back tightly. It was almost like how it used to feel giving his own mother a hug. He pulled away and looked into her eyes, seeing the same guilt that he had heard in her voice. Sherlock had said that they barely spent any time with him... "I didn't think anything like this would happen or I would have said something," he said. "I have to confess, Sherlock and I didn't meet exactly how we said we did."

John took a deep breath before launching into how it really happened. "I had just happened to be walking by when Sherlock was about to be attacked by the rugby team. I managed to get them away and then we decided to be friends, and quickly more than that." He sighed, rubbing his face. If he had said something sooner...

"When we went back to school the next Monday they separated us so that they could attack Sherlock. Then a few days ago, I was also beaten by them. For that the team was expelled, and that's why Moran came after us. He said we ruined his life." He looked up at the two of them, hoping that they weren't upset that they had kept this hidden. "I'm so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes. I never imagined..." That he would come so close to losing Sherlock.

Sherlock's mother shook her head sadly, "you poor thing," she said and pulled him in for another hug. "Don't you go thinking there was anything else that could have been done to prevent this. That Moran boy has some very deep seeded issues and obvious homophobia. It is _**not**_ your fault."

Mr. Holmes nodded in agreement, "you won't have to worry about him anymore. I just spoke with the lead detective on Sherlock's case and they have Sebastian in custody. He'll be tried as an adult for attempted murder." He placed his hand on John's shoulder, "we called your father, he should be on his way now."

John's tears came back anew and he pressed his face into Mrs. Holmes's shoulder. He could easily see himself considering them a second set of parents. He looked up and smiled as best as he could. "Thank you." Pulling away from Mrs. Holmes, he wiped his eyes again and turned more stoic. "He deserves whatever he gets. It's a good thing he'll be going to jail because if I ever saw him again..." John's hands clenched into fists and he took a deep breath.

Another minute brought in John's father. He ran forward and hugged John. "This has been happening too much," he said, kissing him on the forehead. He turned to Mr. and Mrs. Holmes. "How's Sherlock?"

Mr. Holmes shook his head, "they haven't told us anything yet." Just then, a doctor came out into the waiting room. "Mr. Holmes?" he said. "Yes, that's me," Sherlock's father stepped forward. "Come with me please." Mr. Holmes looked back at the group of people in the room before following the doctor out.

John didn't like the way the doctor had spoken. He didn't like the way that the doctor took Mr. Holmes aside. He didn't like the look on his face. Mr. Watson looked at John and could read his thoughts exactly. He bent to hug his son and smoothed a hand over his hair. "I'm sure everything is fine," he said. But John just buried his face in his father's shoulder and tried not to think about anything but seeing Sherlock's face again. Eyes open and smiling. Saying his name.

After several minutes, Mr. Holmes rejoined the group. "They said he's stable," he said, getting out the most important information first. "He lost quite a bit of blood and his heart did stop for several seconds. The doctor said although they were able to revive him, they don't know if there is any brain damage due to the lack of blood to his brain. They won't know anything more until he wakes up."

John looked up, relief flooding him at the same time as fear. Sherlock had died, at least for a few seconds. For a few seconds, John had almost lost him. But there was no way Sherlock could have brain damage, his brain was too powerful for that, John was sure.

Mr. Holmes sighed and rubbed a hand across his face, "we should have been there," he whispered. Mrs. Holmes went to his side and hugged him close. Siger instantly wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss to the top of her head. He looked up at John, "You can go in and see him, I've informed the staff that you are to have full access to his room and that they are to answer any of your questions about his condition."

John pulled away from his father and got up to go to Sherlock's room. Before he left, he looked back at Mr. and Mrs. Holmes and smiled as best as he could. "It's all right. There was nothing that you could have done, anymore than I could have." Then with a deep breath he walked back towards the rooms.

He found Sherlock, hooked up much the same as he had been earlier that week. As John had been as well. He brought a chair over and took Sherlock's hand, relishing in the fact that it was warm, full of life. He laced their fingers, his other hand carding through Sherlock's hair. He would wait as long as he needed, he wasn't leaving this spot.

Three days went by without any change, Sherlock's parents, along with Mycroft, came to visit several times. Mrs. Holmes brought John goodies from the house, insisting that he eat. John did exactly as he said he would. He stayed right next to Sherlock, not leaving except to go to the bathroom, not moving much except to change the channel on the TV in the room.

His father popped in and out as well as Sherlock's family, bringing changes of clothes and other things he wanted from home. He ate very little of what Mrs. Holmes brought, and by the fourth day he was nearly falling asleep sitting up.

Sherlock's father walked in and put his hand on John's shoulder, looking down at his son. "You should go get some rest, John. You haven't slept at all since you've arrived here."

John jumped when Mr. Holmes touched him and he looked up with wide, bloodshot eyes. "No. No, I can't," he said, shaking his head which made him dizzy. "What if he...I can't miss it. I have to be here." His speech was slurred and his eyes were drooping.

Mr. Holmes sighed, "well, you won't do him very much good if you pass out either," he said and chuckled. "How about this... I'll get a nurse to bring in another bed and we can have them pushed together. That way, you can get some rest, but still be here when he wakes up. What do you say?"

John blinked, trying to keep up with what Mr. Holmes was saying. He was completely exhausted, and chances were that Sherlock wouldn't wake up if he just took a little nap. Finally, he relented. "All right, I guess I'll sleep." He rubbed his eyes, forcing himself to stay awake just until the bed came. Really he wanted to sleep in the same bed with Sherlock, but he was still hooked up to too many wires and John didn't want to detach anything by accident.

Mr. Holmes smiled and helped the nurse arrange the beds side by side. He lifted John out of the chair and helped him into the bed and under the covers. The poor boy looked like he was going to lose consciousness any moment. Once he was safely tucked in, he looked down at John and smiled. "Rest well, son. Sherlock will be just fine."

John let Mr. Holmes help him into the bed and his head had hardly hit the pillow before he closed his eyes. He was nearly asleep when he felt like he had forgotten something. Forcing his eyes open, he reached over to Sherlock's bed, taking his hand and holding it tightly before he finally let himself fall asleep.

Hours later, Sherlock woke, a dull ache throbbing through his body. He groaned and let his eyes flutter open. The first thing he saw was John's face and although his eyes were closed, Sherlock smiled. He was beyond happy knowing that his boyfriend was okay. He gave John's hand a light squeeze and sighed happily.

John's sleep was deep, his body and mind both too exhausted to wake for a while. He didn't even dream, which was probably a blessing. It was a while before he finally stirred, feeling much better after having a rest. He opened his eyes, blinking away the final bits of sleep, and turned his face to see..."Sherlock!" John sat up and scrambled closer. "Oh, God, Sherlock!" His eyes filled with tears immediately as he looked over his face.

Sherlock smiled, "John," he said softly. His voice still wasn't fully back yet, so it was raspy, but he brought his hand up and cupped John's cheek, saying the words he never thought he'd get to again. "I love you."

John brought his hand up over Sherlock's. "I love you, too. I love you, so much." He leaned down to kiss him, being careful around his various hook ups. When he pulled away, he was still crying just a little, forehead pressed to Sherlock's. "I thought that...I'm just so happy you're all right."

Sherlock kissed John back as passionately as he could and kept his eyes open to look back at his boyfriend. "I also promised you I wouldn't ever leave you," he murmured and smiled. "You'll find I never break my promises, John."

John smiled and laughed a little bit, "good to know." He pressed a few more kisses to Sherlock's lips, soft and gentle, showing just how scared he had been that he would never get to do this again. "God, Sherlock...I love you so, so much. I don't know if I could have lasted another day."

Sherlock kissed John back, glad to be able to feel something other than pain. "I'm sorry I scared you," he said softly, looking deep into his lover's eyes, "I just... I had to save you. I couldn't let that bastard take you from me."

"I know. But I don't know what I would have done if he took _**you**_ from _**me**_," John said, keeping his gaze locked with Sherlock's. "I wouldn't have made it," he admitted quietly.

Sherlock smiled sadly, "I know, love... But we're okay now." He leaned up as far as he could to capture John's lips again in a sweet kiss. After a few moments, a thought crossed his mind: "Did they catch him?"

John nodded, "they're trying him for attempted murder," he said. "We'll never have to worry about him again." He again found himself thinking about exactly what he would do if he ever saw the face of that low-life again, but he shook the thoughts away for the moment.

Sherlock sighed in relief, "Good... that's good." He pulled John closer to him so their fronts were pressed together. "I love you, John. I'm so glad that you're safe."

John slipped his arms around Sherlock, watching out for his side, and pressed his face against Sherlock's neck. "I love you, too. Thank you for...for everything." For saving him and for coming back to him.

Sherlock pressed his lips to John's forehead, "and thank you... for loving me," he whispered softly.

Sherlock was kept in the hospital for the rest of the week and he was released that Saturday. He insisted on John coming home with him and his parents agreed to let it happen. He got settled in his room again and was currently wrapped up in the blankets with John's legs tangled with his own as they exchanged kisses, touching in about a million different places as reassurance that they were both alive and okay.

John stayed in the hospital as much as he could, but his father wanted him to go to school, so he did grudgingly. All of his free time was spent with Sherlock, making sure that he was comfortable until they would let him go home. He of course was completely on board for going home with Sherlock over the weekend and his father relented, just reminding him to take it easy on the boy. But John had no intentions of doing anything with Sherlock, not until he was ready. Even then, he would be careful with him.

It was nice to finally be back in Sherlock's room, in his bed where they could have some peace away from the atmosphere of the hospital. He could finally relax and stop worrying that something else was going to happen. Sherlock being home meant that he was all right, and he was going to stay that way. John took both of Sherlock's hands, slipping his fingers through the other boy's, wanting to feel as connected as possible.

Sherlock slowly deepened their kisses, grasping tightly to John's hands. He caressed the other boy's tongue with his own, reacquainting himself with his feel and taste. He let go of one of John's hands, letting his hand slip under the hem of his boyfriend's shirt, sliding his fingers along the skin there. John pressed in as close as he could to Sherlock, swirling his tongue around Sherlock's as it invaded his mouth. He arched towards Sherlock's fingers, making a soft sound. Oh, how he wanted to go further, but he didn't want to push anything. He could be patient.

Sherlock moaned softly into John's mouth and bucked his hips forward slightly. His fingers dug into his boyfriend's hip for a few moments before pulling away, groaning and throwing his head back. "Sorry..." he murmured, "this _**damn**_ wound..." he groaned again and pulled away, laying his head on the pillow and breathing deeply through his nose.

John tried to control himself but it was getting hard when Sherlock moved his hips forward. He didn't make any moves but he hissed a little at Sherlock's fingers digging in. He took a moment to breathe, trying to force himself down before saying anything. "It's all right, I don't want you to be in pain." John smoothed his hand through Sherlock's hair. "When you're all better we can do whatever you like."

Sherlock pouted, "but I want to do something with you _**now**_," he whined and smoothed his hands down the front of John's torso.

John shook his head, taking Sherlock's hands away. "No, I'm not taking any chances. You'll be in more pain than pleasure, and if you move the wrong way your stitches might open." He took one of Sherlock's hands and kissed the palm, then kissed each fingertip. "Don't worry, you'll be better before you know it."

Sherlock sighed and frowned, "fine... As you wish... Doctor Watson," he smirked as he said it and winked. "I submit myself to your care," he murmured huskily and laid back, his arms spread out by his sides.

John smirked, gently rolling Sherlock onto his back and hovering over him. "Well, Mr. Holmes, allow me to give you your treatment. Just try to stay still for me." He bent low to kiss Sherlock's lips, then moved to his jaw, gliding his lips down to his neck. The kisses were warm and lingering, mouth open and teeth grazing.

Sherlock hummed in content, "yes, Doctor." He relaxed and let his eyes close, focusing entirely on the feel of his boyfriend's lips and hands on him. "Mmm, I think this is the best medicine I've ever been prescribed," he said cheekily and chuckled.

John licked his lips, letting his tongue flick over Sherlock's skin. "The good thing about this medicine is that you can take as much as you want," here John licked a small stripe up his neck, "and you'll never overdose." He started sucking on the spot right beneath Sherlock's ear, intending to mark him.

Sherlock frowned, the word 'overdose' bringing back memories of his past habits, but he tried his best to push them away. He didn't do that anymore and he needed to move on. He squirmed, but otherwise stayed still. Sighing, he closed his eyes tightly and tried to focus again on John's mouth.

John had expected a little more of a reaction than he had gotten from Sherlock, and he thought maybe he was doing something that he didn't like. Sherlock seemed to have liked this before, but John stopped. Maybe it was hurting him and he didn't realise. Looking up at the other boy, he tilted his head in question. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked, letting himself drop over to the side next to Sherlock.

"No..." Sherlock shook his head. "It's just..." he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before shifting onto his side to face John, laying his hand on his boyfriend's hip. "There's something I haven't told you about my past," he averted his eyes, staring at his own hand and stroking his thumb along John's waist, "something I'm not very proud of."

John kept his eyes on Sherlock's face and brought a hand up to caress his cheek. "You can tell me. I'll still love you." And he would. There wasn't anything that Sherlock could say, as far as he was concerned, that would make him stop caring for the other boy.

Sherlock leaned into the touch to his cheek and swallowed thickly before speaking. "Do you remember when I told you I could erase my memories? That sometimes... just locking them away didn't work?" He looked deep into his boyfriend's eyes as he spoke, trying to assess his reaction.

John nodded slowly, confused. "Yes...But I don't understand what you're getting at." He smoothed his thumb over Sherlock's cheekbone, seeing that the topic was hard for him to discuss and wanting to offer some comfort.

Sherlock decided to dive right in, he'd never been afraid to open up to John before. He took a deep breath, "I used to do drugs. Cocaine... mostly." He shook his head in shame and frowned, "the bullying from Sebastian that you witnessed is nothing compared to what I had to endure in the past. They would corner me in the showers after gym and..."

Sherlock bit his lip, "anyways... it was hard to forget something like that. So I did what I had to. I found one of the blokes at school that sold illicit substances and got some cocaine from him. It became very difficult to stop." He tightened his grip on his boyfriend's waist.

"Mycroft eventually found out and threatened to tell mum and dad if I didn't cease at once. I got mad, bought the strongest stuff that my dealer had and..." he paused, looking away and shuddering. "Myc found me a few hours later, lying on the floor of my bedroom, passed out in my own vomit." Sherlock sighed as tears began rolling down his face, "I haven't used since," he murmured, unable to look John in the eyes as he finished. He didn't want to see the disgust that was surely written all over his face.

John listened silently to Sherlock's story and at the end he still said nothing. Then finally, he grabbed Sherlock's face in both hands and kissed him hard for a solid minute. When he pulled away, he also had tears in his eyes, but he looked directly at Sherlock, forcing him to keep eye contact.

"I told you I would still love you," he said quietly. "That is a little scary to know, but only because you came so close to never coming into my life. But the fact that you overcame something like that means that you're even more amazing than I thought." He smiled faintly, "from now on, though, I'm the only thing you're allowed to be addicted to."

Sherlock felt his heart sink when John stayed silent for so long. He gasped in surprise when his boyfriend locked lips with him but quickly recovered and kissed him back just as forcefully. He found his next words coming out without a thought. "I promise you, I will never do anything like it again. Being with you is far more powerful than any drug and I couldn't bear to be without you. I was already addicted after our first kiss," he said and smiled through the tears.

John grinned back, feeling better, "good." He kissed him again, slower this time, but with the same feeling. Sherlock was so precious to him, he hated to think of how many things might have prevented them from meeting. He wrapped his arms around his lover's neck to hold him close, wanting him to know that nothing could ever make John change his mind about those three little words.

Sherlock could feel the emotions in the kiss and whimpered, kissing John back. He threaded his fingers through his short blonde hair and stroked his tongue with the other boy's, soft and slow.

John hummed into the kiss, his own tongue sliding across Sherlock's, tasting him. He tilted his head to more easily kiss him, rolling onto his back so that Sherlock could lay on top of him.

Sherlock intertwined his fingers with the other boy's and brought their joined hands up to the sides of John's head. He continued to kiss him deeply and rock his hips forward slowly, just enough for a little friction, but not too hard so as not to cause himself any pain.

John moaned softly, his own hips moving to meet Sherlock's. It had been over a week by now and he was a bit extra sensitive. _Teenage hormones._ He squeezed Sherlock's hands, breaking the kiss to drop his head down and start sucking on his pale skin again, to finish the mark that he had started.

Sherlock could feel himself harden within seconds, _**God**_ did he love the feel of John underneath him. He moaned and let his head crane back, giving his boyfriend more access to his long neck. Soon the movements of his hips got more frantic and he reached down to grab onto his lover's sides, pulling him into harder thrusts.

John cried out as Sherlock started to grind harder into him and he moved his mouth to a new spot to continue his work. Sherlock had such delectible skin, easy to mark, to show the world that he was loved by John. He nipped and sucked and licked as his hands wandered down towards Sherlock's arse, groping him and effectively bringing him closer.

"Oh, John..." Sherlock moaned and continued to roll his hips. It was so easy to get lost in the sensations of his lover's mouth on his skin, his body beneath him and the various sounds coming from him. He loved to hear each and every breath, each moan and each whimper. It turned him on more than anything ever could.

John slipped his hands around between them, trying to undo Sherlock's trousers. He wanted to feel his lover against him, skin to skin. He managed to get Sherlock's trousers past his hips, following with his pants, before working his own off and finally letting their bare erections touch. "Sherlock..." he groaned, bucking up, though remembering not to go to hard on him. "When you get better..._**ah**_...I want you t-to fuck me...oh, that's good..." John reached down again and grabbed his arse.

Sherlock groaned as he felt his boyfriend's arousal slide against his own and full out moaned at his words. He leaned down to nip at John's earlobe. "I want you to imagine it now," he whispered huskily, "Imagine me inside you, pounding into you just like this." Sherlock rolled his hips faster, reaching down to wrap his hand around both of them.

John whimpered and spread his legs, pushing his hips up higher to get more of that glorious friction. "Yes, Sherlock! Oh, God..." He could feel a coil of heat in his stomach, signaling he was close. He turned his head to kiss wherever he could reach on the side of Sherlock's face as he rocked his hips faster. "Sher..'M close..."

Sherlock groaned and tightened his grip on their cocks, "Oh, _**yes**_... That's it, love. Come on... come with me," he murmured and locked their lips together as he felt himself reach the peak of orgasm, wanting to finish at the same time as John.

John cried out again and again as he felt himself spill over the edge. He kissed Sherlock fiercely as he came, hips moving sporadically against Sherlock's as he rode through the pleasure. He finally broke away, panting as he fell backwards into the bed, trying to regain his senses.

Sherlock managed to climax at the same exact moment as John and collapsed on top of him, panting. "Shit... I don't think I'll ever have a dull orgasm with you, love," he chuckled. "And that... is a _**very**_ good thing." He smiled and kissed his boyfriend's neck, too tired to move and kiss his lips.

John used the last of his energy to wrap his arms around Sherlock, holding him close. "I don't think I'd ever be able to get off again without you," he admitted with a bit of a blush. He tilted his head to rest his cheek in Sherlock's curls. "You are so amazing."

Sherlock hummed, "luckily you won't have to." He sighed happily and snuggled into John's neck, "you're amazing as well, love. I couldn't see myself with anyone but you."

"Neither can I." John paused for a moment, wondering if he should mention anything. It was kind of a girly notion, but deep in his heart he really believed it. "Would you think it was completely silly to call us...soulmates?"

Sherlock lifted his head and looked deep into John's eyes. A smile spread slowly across his face, "no, my dear... I wouldn't. In fact... I think we're much more than that. You are not only the missing part of my soul, but of my very being. My body, heart, mind and life. What we have is so much deeper than love." He caressed his lover's face and kissed him softly.

John flushed in embarrassment when Sherlock had begun, but as he continued the redness slowly faded and a smile grew in its place. He kissed Sherlock back, chest swelling in happiness. "I couldn't have said it better myself," he whispered against Sherlock's lips. "I just wish there was a way to express exactly how strongly I feel for you."

Sherlock bit his lip, "Well... There is a way." He shifted and reached behind him, digging around in his bedside table. "I was going to wait to do this," he started and grabbed what he was looking for. He shut the drawer and turned back to John. "But in light of recent events... I really can't think of a better time." Sherlock's hands were shaking as he handed John the small box in his hand. He smiled nervously at his boyfriend, heart pounding.

John watched Sherlock in curiosity, wondering what he could mean. That is, until he was given the tiny box. His eyes widened and he blinked rapidly a few times in disbelief. "Sherlock...is this?" A smile tugged at the edges of his lips as he opened the top.

Sherlock nodded, "I, um... I haven't had time to really prepare a... a speech or anything, but," he took the ring out of the box, a simple gold band, and held it up. "I... love you, very much," he smiled at his boyfriend nervously, "and I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. I don't care who doesn't accept us, I don't care what other people will think. All I care about... is right here in front of me. John Watson... will you marry me?" Sherlock could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he kept his eyes fixed on John's face, waiting for his answer. John's eyes were watering by the end of the speech and he took the ring gently from Sherlock's hand. He slipped it on his finger, a perfect fit, and smiled at him. "How could I ever say no to you?" He threw his arms around Sherlock's neck and kissed him firmly. He pulled back and stared into Sherlock's bright blue eyes. "I love you so much. I never thought that I could fall in love so quickly with someone, but like you said, you are the other half of me. Whether we met now, twenty years from now, or ten years earlier I know that things would have been the same. And I cannot imagine ever being apart from you."

Sherlock beamed as tears came to his eyes and he held John close, giving him gentle, loving kisses. He pulled back after several minutes and held up the hand that the ring was on, turning it over and looking at it. "It looks wonderful on you," he said and smiled. "When do you think we should make the announcement?"

John was just elated. There was no other way to describe the feeling of pure happiness that filled him to see the little gold band on his finger. He admired it with Sherlock, smile never leaving his face. "I don't know," he said. "I wonder how our parents will react."

Sherlock chuckled, "well... knowing _**my**_ parents, they probably already have some idea that this was going to happen." He smiled and kissed John on the temple. "What about your father? I mean, I know he's okay with us dating now, but how do you think he'll react to us being engaged to be married?"

John frowned a little in thought. "Well... I mean, I'm sure he'll be fine. He approves of us, so I would think he would approve of everything." He rested his head on Sherlock's shoulder. "If he doesn't, I'm going to marry you anyway. Nothing and no one can keep us apart."

Sherlock hummed in agreement, "yes, I'd have to agree on that. I think that's been proven, yeah? We're right here together even after all we've been through." He smiled again and ran his fingers through his new fiance's hair before pulling him in for a deep, loving kiss.

John kissed Sherlock back, pouring his love for Sherlock into it. He wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck. No, his fiance's neck. That sounded so nice. He pulled away, and gave Sherlock a few quick, soft kisses before opening his eyes and smiling at him. "Now I just need to get you a ring."

Sherlock chuckled, "you don't have to do that, love," he said and hugged John tighter. "I don't want you spending your money on me when it could be saved for Uni." He smiled and kissed his lover on the forehead.

"But I want to. I'll find a way to make it work." John thought about it for a moment. Maybe he should get a job. Since he wasn't doing rugby anymore, and he didn't have to spend much on anything but gas for his bike, he might be able to save up enough over the rest of the year for a ring and still have money for school...That is if he worked every single day for eight hours. He sighed, wishing that he wasn't in such a sorry financial state.

"If it helps... I could ask my father if he could get you a job at the hospital. You could make money and get experience for school," Sherlock said and rubbed his hands along John's lower back, unable to stop touching him for even a moment.

John looked up at Sherlock with a budding smile. "Really? Do you think he would?" That would be amazing. He would have a better chance at getting some scholarships if he had experience to speak of. Then maybe he could forego the army and stay with Sherlock.

Sherlock smiled back at him, "yeah... I do. He likes you a lot, already considers you family." He brushed a few hairs away from John's forehead, "you'll be on your way to becoming a doctor in no time, and you'll be a fantastic one, I'm sure."

"That would be incredible of him." John said and blushed a little at the praise. "I don't know how great I'll be. I'm not the brightest student in the school."

Sherlock kissed his fiance on the nose and pulled away to look in his eyes, "do me a favour though... save the special treatments just for your future husband, hmm?" he said cheekily and grinned.

John smirked as he gazed back at Sherlock. "Don't worry, you'll be the only one who ever gets house calls." He tilted his head up to kiss Sherlock once, long and slow.

Sherlock kissed John back and brought his hand up to stroke his cheek, locking gazes with him. "You are the most amazing, intelligent, caring person I know. You will be the best doctor that London has ever seen." He smiled lovingly down at his fiance and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I love you, John."

John's face only heated further as he returned the hug, snuggling into Sherlock. He only hoped Sherlock was right. "I love you, too. So much."


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Note: Here we are with another chapter! It seems like every week we come back to more followers and reviews and we are so grateful to all of you. We enjoy reading all of your lovely comments and hope that you continue to post them and continue to enjoy the story!

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The next day went by quickly, far too quickly if you asked Sherlock. He was enjoying spending time with his new fiance, talking and laughing, spending most of their time in bed. Sherlock still didn't feel up to doing much other than snogging and giving each other hand jobs, but by Sunday afternoon he felt well enough to ask John to try something new with him. "Please?" he pouted, looking up at the other boy with wide eyes, "I promise I'm well enough to do this... I wouldn't ask if I wasn't."

John was quite enjoying his time with Sherlock. For that while it was just him and his lover and not a care in the world. And what they were doing was enough, of course, but he was sorely tempted when Sherlock claimed to be up for more. He looked at his fiance with a skeptical eye. "Are you absolutely sure? I really don't want to hurt you."

Sherlock sighed and rolled his eyes, "Oh, come on, John... I've read up on this and if we arrange ourselves correctly, it really shouldn't put much strain on either of us. Now take your clothes off and get in bed with me."

John hesitated but those words went straight to his crotch. "Fine. But you tell me the first instance of pain if you feel anything, alright?" He started to strip down to nothing but his underpants, and then he kicked them off as well, climbing in bed with Sherlock. "So what is it we're about to try, anyway?"

Sherlock grinned triumphantly and said nothing, just pulling John into a deep, passionate kiss. After a few moments of intense snogging, he could sense they were both ready and pulled back, smirking before laying John down on his side. He then proceeded to rearrange himself so his head was facing the foot of the bed. He grabbed his fiance's arse in both hands, tugging him closer so that his crotch was perfectly aligned with his own mouth and vice versa. He looked up at John and smiled, waiting for him to figure out what exactly he had in mind. John of course enjoyed the snogging, and it was evident that Sherlock did as well when their arousals brushed together. He was curious though, as to the plans of his future husband, but he let him move him over and watched as he changed positions. John's face flushed deep red when he realised what Sherlock was proposing. And he had no problems with that. He found himself face with Sherlock's cock and he licked his lips. But before taking it into his mouth, he started to suck on his own fingers. When they were sufficiently soaked, he used his other hand to guide Sherlock into his mouth. His wet fingers then reached behind, stroking between the cleft in his arse.

Sherlock gasped when he felt John's wet fingers on his arse and he bit his lip against a groan. _Well, two can play at that game_ he thought and brought his own fingers to his mouth, wetting them and moving forward. He licked around the head of John's cock for a few moments before sneaking his moistened fingers back behind him and pressing one against his entrance.

John moaned and took more of Sherlock in as a reward, rocking his hips between the dual sensations. He slipped one finger inside of Sherlock, pushing it as far in as he could. Meanwhile his mouth was working half of Sherlock's length, the other half being slowly stroked.

Sherlock moaned around John's cock and took him all the way to the back of his throat in one go. After he felt his lover's arse muscles finally relax, he pushed his finger in and started working it in and out. He went slowly at first, then sped up a little and after a few strokes he added a second finger and started crooking them, trying to find John's prostate.

John cried out, though the sound was muffled by Sherlock's cock. He bucked his hips, trying to control himself so as not to hurt Sherlock. He relaxed, but felt himself tense again in pleasure as Sherlock started to thrust his fingers, hitting his prostate which resulted in a choked cry. He decided to do the same to his lover, pushing his second finger inside and pumping, curling them so they scraped his inner walls.

Sherlock was steadily moaning around John's cock now and kept thrusting his fingers in and out, working his lover's cock deep in his throat and swallowing like he knew he liked. Growing bold, he added another finger in his fiance's arse and pressed the digits against his prostate, wiggling them rapidly to cause a sort of vibrating effect.

John nearly screamed, it felt so good. He worked down Sherlock's cock until he had completely engulfed the whole thing, groaning around it. Once he had taken it all in, he bobbed his head quickly, fingers still pressed far into Sherlock's arse. He twisted them as he thrust them in and out of his fiance, and then pushed in a third as Sherlock had done to him.

Sherlock groaned as he felt himself get closer and closer to the edge. He kept vibrating his fingers against John's prostate and wrapped his tongue around the length of his cock, bobbing his head in the same rhythm as his fiance.

John was stuck somewhere between whimpers and moans as he drew closer. He pumped his fingers harder, wanting it to feel as though he were pounding into Sherlock. He bobbed his head faster, teeth grazing the rough skin of Sherlock's cock. John's hips bucked a few more times and with a strangled cry, he had reached his climax, the extreme pleasure making him suck harder on Sherlock.

Sherlock swallowed as fast as he could, licking and sucking until John was limp in his mouth. The increased suction on his own cock brought him that much closer and as he pulled off he cried out John's name as he found his own release.

John barely had time to catch his breath before Sherlock was coming in his mouth. He swallowed much the same, sucking through Sherlock's climax. Finally, when Sherlock was finished, he licked him clean and pulled off to flop onto his back. "Oh...fuck, Sherlock..." he breathed, pulling his fingers out.

Sherlock laid on his back and chuckled breathlessly, resting his arm over his eyes. "I take it you enjoyed yourself then?" He smirked and crawled up towards the head of the bed, pecking John on the lips before collapsing on the mattress beside him.

"God, yes." John closed his eyes, panting still from the amazing sensations. "That was amazing." He opened his eyes again, turning to look at his fiance with a smile. "You are amazing." He ran his fingers through Sherlock's curls.

Sherlock hummed in contentment, "and you," he kissed John on the lips, "_**taste**_ amazing," he said and smiled. He pulled his fiancé in close and rested their foreheads together, sighing happily.

"You and I are never going to get bored, I'm sure." John smiled and looked into Sherlock's eyes. He brought a hand up to caress his cheek, leaving it there as he closed his eyes.

Sherlock chuckled softly, "no, we certainly won't." He snuggled in close to John and closed his eyes, letting sleep take him.

The next morning, Sherlock woke first and smiled at the face of his sleeping fiancé. He managed to get out of bed without waking him and tiptoed over to the window to grab his violin. He lifted it and rested it under his chin, raising the bow to start playing John's song.

John was sleeping peacefully, warmly snuggled with Sherlock. The loss of heat made him flip over a little, but he stayed asleep. And then, the most beautiful sound reached his ears. His dreams turned to visions of him and Sherlock together and happy, without a care in the world, the violin music a soundtrack. He smiled and nuzzled his face into a pillow.

Sherlock closed his eyes as he played, imagining the two of them dancing at their wedding, dressed in matching tuxedos. He let the music swell and allowed all his feelings to pour into the music, continuing the song far past what he had originally written. John was such an inspiration.

It was almost as though John could feel everything that Sherlock poured into the music. He suddenly saw himself and Sherlock dancing as well, feeling the love that they shared as if Sherlock's heart were singing directly to him. It wasn't much longer before his eyes fluttered open and he saw that Sherlock was actually playing. Well, of course he was. John could never come up with something so gorgeous in his imagination. He quietly propped himself up to watch and listen to his fiance's song.

Sherlock swayed back and forth as he played, getting lost in the music. He opened his eyes and looked over at the bed to see John looking back at him. He locked gazes with him and his mouth quirked into a soft smile as the song drew to a close.

John was in awe watching Sherlock. His movements were so graceful, his entire being involved in the music. It was a beautiful sight, and he found himself captivated. That this perfect creature could love him so was a miracle. He smiled as he caught Sherlock's eye and when he was finished, he applauded. "You never cease to amaze me, Sherlock," he said, getting up to kiss him.

Sherlock wrapped his arms around John's waist and kissed him back tenderly. He smiled as he pulled away, "I wrote it for you..." he said softly and blushed. "You're such a wonderful person, so... beautiful. I just had to write a song to show you exactly what I feel for you. Words just aren't enough."

John looked up at Sherlock, face heating as he was so utterly moved by both the music and what Sherlock said. "I wish...I wish that I could do something like that for you. But I don't have any sort of talent like that. My words will have to be enough to express just how much I feel."

Sherlock cupped John's cheek, "You do enough by just loving me. It amazes me how much you love me. That you would even spend your time with someone as damaged as me." He smiled lovingly at his fiancé as tears reached his eyes.

John leaned into the touch, his arms encircling the other boy. "I don't see damages when I look at you. I see a handsome, brilliant, loving, strong, and all around incredible man, who deserves so much more love than he gets. It's my pleasure, my privilege, to love you."

Sherlock grinned and leaned down to give John the most passionate kiss he'd ever given, trying his best to steal the breath from him. When he pulled back, he rested their foreheads together and a few tears escaped his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered.

John kissed him back, making a soft sound. He leaned up so that he could press in further to the kiss, and as they pulled away, his eyes were sparkling. "You're very welcome, love," he said, wiping his tears away.

Sherlock smiled down at his fiancé. "I guess we should get you ready for school, yeah?" He grabbed John's hand and led him out of the bedroom towards the adjoining bathroom.

John sighed. "I wish you were coming. I miss you when I have to go to school." He stepped into the shower once the water was on and pulled Sherlock in with him. "Some people think you're dead and that the school is trying to cover it up because they don't want a scandal. And some people think that I was a part of it, even though we were quite obviously snogging that day." It was then that he realised that he and Sherlock had only been together at school for one day before all of Moran's attacks. It was no wonder no one believed him; no one had seen enough proof.

Sherlock smiled sadly and grabbed a wash rag, soaping it up. He started washing John, rubbing the cloth along his upper back. "I'll be back soon, love. I'm supposed to be able to get the stitches removed in a few days." He leaned in and kissed the side of his fiance's neck, the skin soft and wet.

John leaned his head over and hummed as Sherlock washed him. "I know. Your health comes first, I wouldn't want you to push it. It's just a little lonely." He grabbed the shampoo, turning around so that he was facing Sherlock and started lathering his hair.

"I know, trust me," Sherlock said and raised an eyebrow. He bent down slightly so John could reach the top of his head better and almost purred at the sensation. "Mmm... feels good."

"Good..." John massaged Sherlock's scalp, being sure to get all his curls fully soapy. He chuckled and took some of the soap, putting it on Sherlock's chin. "I wonder how you would look with facial hair." He started dabbing the suds on Sherlock's face, creating a shampoo beard and moustache. "Still adorable."

Sherlock laughed and pressed his lips to John's cheek, spreading the suds all over his face. He kept kissing him until they were both covered in suds. "Hmm... I think you missed a spot," he said and smirked. He slid his hand down the center of his fiance's back and let his fingers graze lightly across the middle of his arse.

John kissed Sherlock back, giggling in between as the bubbles covered them. He pressed in close, their full naked fronts touching with only a thin layer of soap between. It wasn't too much of a surprise when Sherlock started to get cheeky. John let out a soft pleased sound and his hips pushed back a little on their own. "Don't tease me, love, or I'll be late for school," he warned.

Sherlock pouted, "damn... And I was _**so**_ looking forward to some hot shower sex." He grinned and winked at John before pulling away and turning them so he was under the shower spray. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes and stretching out his neck, running his hands through his hair to get rid of the suds.

John swallowed, because the idea was incredibly arousing, but he couldn't be late for school. He grabbed the shampoo while Sherlock rinsed and lathered his own hair. "Don't worry. Next time I sleep over, I promise we'll do whatever you like." He smirked a little and reached out to grope Sherlock's arse for just a split second before going back to washing his hair innocetly.

Sherlock gasped and spun around, smirking at John, "Oooh... you cheeky bastard," he murmured playfully and lurched forward, pinning the other boy to the shower wall. "I think," he leaned down to whisper huskily in his ear, "that I'll have to take you up on me fucking you... I quite like the idea of being the first to have you that way." He nipped at John's earlobe and pulled away, smirking and finished rinsing off before stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel for both of them.

John let out a whimper, trying so hard not to be completely turned on by what his fiance was saying. He swallowed again, with more difficulty this time. "Sherlock..." But in another moment he had went back to what he was doing, leaving John in a half-aroused daze. He shook his head and rinsed himself completely before joining Sherlock outside of the shower to dry off.

Sherlock wrapped the towel around John's shoulders as he came out of the shower and gave him a kind of backwards hug before releasing him to finish drying off. "I have to say I feel a lot better about you going to school now that Moran won't be there."

John rubbed the towel over himself, ruffling his hair so that it stood up at odd angles. "I do too. I think I'd figure out a way to transfer the both of us for our safety." He glanced down at the floor for a moment, remembering Sherlock laying there in his own blood, the gunshot ringing in his ears, and he shivered. "It's sick," he said, only half meaning to let it out loud. "What drives a person to be so violent?" John looked back up to Sherlock, who had been so close to not being here in this moment, or any moment for that matter.

Sherlock shook his head, "there's not really a definitive answer for that. It could be a number of things. Sebastian has always had a problem with me, whether that's because of my intellect or me being gay, I'm not sure. He has his own things he deals with... not that I'm defending his actions at all, because I'm not." He grabbed John's hand and placed it gently on the healing wound on his side. "This? Will heal... It will go away and only leave a small scar. But what Moran did, he will have to pay for... for the rest of his life. He will never heal, he will never get better."

John could feel the roughness of the stitches under his fingers, and he dropped to his knees in front of Sherlock. Very lightly, he brushed his lips over the spot, looking at it more closely. The wound may have been deep, but the size on the outside was small; it would just become a bit of puckered tissue. Sherlock was absolutely right in everything he had said, but John thought he may have figured out the reason. And it almost made him feel sorry for Moran. "Maybe he doesn't know love," he said quietly, letting his fingers ghost over the wound again. "He doesn't know what it's like, and maybe it scares him. Maybe it makes him jealous." It was no excuse, of course. Nothing could ever excuse the pain that both halves of their whole had to endure because of him. But it helped John to understand.

Sherlock watched as John gave attention to his wound and ran his fingers through his lover's hair. Maybe John was right, Moran had never loved anyone before and it may have driven him to take it away from someone who had. "I think you may be onto something," he murmured, "I know how jealous and heartbroken I was before I met you. I was so alone and it made me so angry sometimes. Maybe instead of drugs, Moran used violence as an outlet."

John wrapped his arms around Sherlock's legs, pressing his cheek against Sherlock's hip. "Well, he only made things worse for himself. As for you, my dear..." He got up and kissed Sherlock softly on the lips. "I only wish we could have met sooner." He smiled softly at his fiance. "I should probably get dressed now. Don't want to be late for school," John finished with a sigh.

Sherlock gave John's rear a good smack as he walked out the door and chuckled, "yes, you had better... Or I may end up ravishing you before you have a chance to stop me." He winked at his fiancé and started getting dressed himself, settling on just a pair of sleep pants and his dressing gown.

John jumped and grasped his backside, smirking at Sherlock as he followed him back to the bedroom. "And you call me a cheeky bastard," he muttered as he went to get his clothes together. He pulled on a pair of red pants and then his usual jumper and jeans before getting on his socks. He pulled out his mobile to check his messages and found one from his father.

**Come home after school, please. It's important. -HW**

John frowned, wondering what that could mean, but he supposed he should come home anyway. He'd been at Sherlock's for nearly three days now. "Da wants me to come home after school. But I'll come back as soon as I can." Once his shoes were on, John pocketed his mobile and grabbed his bag. "Love you," he said as he bent to give Sherlock a kiss.

Sherlock watched as John pulled on his clothes, raising an eyebrow at his choice in pants. He sensed something was wrong and when his fiancé told him that his father wanted him to come home that afternoon, he was pretty sure he knew why. He smiled up at John and kissed him goodbye, "Later, love."

Once John had left, Sherlock pulled out his mobile and dialed, "Hello, Mycroft? Yes... I think we'll be needing to follow through on that favour. I'll let you know for sure this evening." He hung up the phone and sighed, praying that for once he wasn't right.

John rode to school, part of his dreading it. Another week without Sherlock, another week of whispered accusations. He hadn't been fully honest with him about how bad it was. Peolle not only claimed that he had done something to Sherlock, but also that he had done something to Sebastian. No one seemed to have, or believe, the real story. He sighed as he walked into school and sat down in class, ignoring the stares and mutters.

After a day that seemed to drag on forever, John made his way home with a certain sense of foreboding. What was so important that his father had to tell him in person?


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: Here comes another chapter! Keep those reviews coming, we enjoy reading them! This one is rather long, but we have _**so**_ much more to this story!

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John parked his bike outside and went up the stairs into the flat. "Da?" Mr. Watson was sitting in the living room, on the couch with his face in his hands. He looked up and sighed. "Come here, lad."

John went to sit next to him, hands on his knees, fingers tightening. "Is someone dead?" he blurted finally.

"No, no, not that..." He couldn't look John in the eyes, and kept his head bowed. "John...remember that call I got when you were in the hospital? From my boss?"

"Yes..."

"Well..." Mr. Watson took a deep breath before continuing. "Because I ran off, I wound up...losing my job."

"Oh. Da, that's terrible. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" John tried to get him to meet his eyes, but he wouldn't.

"I was hoping I could find another job before I had to tell you, but nothing seems to be working. I didn't want to upset you." Finally he looked at John and put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Look, John, you know that with that job we were merely scraping by. Now...I don't think we'll be able to stay here."

"What? You mean we have to...move?" John felt his heart shatter. He couldn't be away from Sherlock, he just couldn't. This was all his fault. If he hadn't instigated, he wouldn't have gotten hurt and Moran wouldn't have beaten him like that.

Mr. Watson squeezed his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, John." John just closed his eyes, feeling tears coming on. "We have a few days so... you can say goodbye."

Nodding slowly, he got up and went to his room. He wanted to be with Sherlock, but he knew he couldn't drive in this state, so he sent a text to him instead.

**Come over, please. -JW**

Sherlock was looking at a specimen under his microscope when he heard his mobile go off. His head jerked up and he ran over to grab it. As he read the message, his heart sunk. Things were definitely not good. He sighed and shook his head, typing out a reply.

**Be there soon, love. -SH**

He shoved his mobile in his trouser pocket and flung his jacket on. Then, he sprinted down the hall to a room he rarely ever went to and pounded on the door.

Mycroft opened it and looked at Sherlock with a raised eyebrow, "needing the favour already?"

Sherlock sighed and rolled his eyes, "yes, Mycroft... Do you have it?" Mycroft went inside his room and Sherlock heard some papers rustling, then footsteps.

His brother came back to the door with an envelope and handed it to Sherlock. "Now we're even," he said firmly and Sherlock nodded.

"Thank you, Myc. Um... can I get a ride?"

Mycroft sighed dramatically, "I suppose," he grabbed his keys and headed out the door, "come on, then." Sherlock followed him out to the car and shoved the envelope in his inner jacket pocket before buckling up.

They arrived at John's flat minutes later and Sherlock told his brother to go ahead and leave. He made his way up the stairs and knocked on the door, holding his breath.

John looked at the reply and held the phone to his chest as he curled up on the bed. He couldn't believe that they were going to leave, that he might be somewhere far from Sherlock. Where would they even go? What could they possibly afford if not this tiny, run down flat? It was all his fault.

Even if they could find another place to live they probably would be living paycheck to paycheck. How would they eat, or buy clothes, or anything? He'd have to sell his bike, get a job, maybe even drop out of school. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt and he curled in on himself even further, crying as he waited for Sherlock.

When the door sounded, Mr. Watson got up and opened it. "Ah, I had a feeling you'd be coming," he said with a sad smile. "He's in his room." Stepping aside, he let Sherlock in.

Sherlock nodded, "thank you." He walked swiftly through the flat and into John's room, his heart breaking at the sight of him. He instantly ran over and wrapped his arms around his fiancé, pressing kisses on his head. "Shhh... It's okay love, it'll all be alright."

The effect was immediate and John turned into Sherlock, clinging to him. "Sherlock...I don't want to leave you..." He could barely get the words out because for some reason he started to cry harder once Sherlock was in the room with him. He buried his face in the other boy's chest, hands tightening on the back of his shirt.

"You don't have to, darling... Calm down and listen to me, okay? I need you to come talk to your father with me." Sherlock murmured soothingly and stroked the back of his fiance's head.

John looked up at him with a tear-stained face. "What?... But you don't even know what happened," he said, calming a little. He wiped his face furiously and sat up.

Sherlock just smiled, "Yes I do... I'll explain it all, just trust me and come with me, your father needs to hear this too." He stood and held his hand out for John to take.

John looked up and wiped his eyes again before standing and holding tightly to Sherlock's hand. He let the other boy bring him down to the living room where his father was still sitting.

Sherlock cleared his throat, "Um... Mr. Watson? May I speak with you for a moment?" He took the envelope out of his pocket and held it in both of his hands.

"What's that?" John and his father both asked at the same time. John was still confused as to how Sherlock could have possibly known what was going on, and what he could have planned.

"Well... let me start by explaining how I knew what happened without John telling me," he looked back and forth between John and his father and smiled nervously. "Back when John was in the hospital, you, Mr. Watson, left the room for a phone conversation. You seemed rather distraught and because you don't know anyone in London yet besides your boss and co-workers, I could only guess it had to be involving work."

Sherlock began pacing as he continued to speak, "Now, since you were explaining your actions, it could only be your boss, which leads me to my next observation. You returned several minutes later and were very clearly upset but trying to hide it. What else could you be trying to hide than losing your job? And what else would cause John to be so upset and think that he had to leave me since you've already accepted us?... You are planning on moving." He looked up as he finished speaking, assessing both of their reactions.

John was smiling a little, as Sherlock's deductions always made him do. "Fantastic," he said. Mr. Watson looked confused, but nodded slowly.

"As for what's in this envelope here..." Sherlock raised the hand with the envelope in it and smiled. "John... Do you remember the party my parents had a few weeks ago? The Sunday after we first met?"

John looked to the envelope. It looked official, like it was from someone important. "Yes, I remember," he said, tilting his head over as he watched. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, one of the guests was a man by the name of Richard Garsdale. I believe your father would know him... His former boss," he smirked slightly at John's father before continuing. "Mr. Garsdale just so happens to also be the man I told you was having an affair on his wife. He was... informed... that if he did not resign and put in a recommendation that your father be given his position, his private affair would become _**very**_ public knowledge."

Sherlock grinned and handed the envelope to Mr. Watson, "You'll find in that envelope your last two weeks pay, along with a notice of your advancement. You start your new position tomorrow."

John looked to his father whose eyes were wide. "Sherlock... I don't know what to say..." He took the envelope reverently, opening it to find a wad of bills and the letter, which he opened to read. "Amazing... Thank you." He took Sherlock's hand and shook it vigorously.

Then John looked back to Sherlock and he smiled, tears welling again in his eyes. He turned into him and wrapped his arms around his fiance. "I love you. I love you, so much."

Sherlock smiled and shook Mr. Watson's hand in return, "you are quite welcome." He wrapped his arms around John when he turned to him and rested his cheek on the top of his head. "No one's going to tear us apart, yeah? I love you, John and I'm here to take care of you, no matter what it takes." He pulled back and cupped his fiance's cheek, looking into his eyes and smiling, "I told you I keep my promises."

John smiled up at him, so happy that he didn't have to leave Sherlock. He leaned into his touch, heart soaring. Not only had Sherlock saved him but he made things better. "You are amazing. Absolutely amazing."

"Only because of you, love." Sherlock said, resting their foreheads together. He closed his eyes and smiled, there were no words to describe how happy he was that John was staying. He couldn't ever survive without him.

Mr. Watson watched the scene between the two boys and smiled. The fact that Sherlock was willing to blackmail to keep his son showed just how much he loved him (and how dangerous the Holmes family could be if you crossed them). It was then that he noticed the ring on John's left hand. "John... Where did you get that?"

John was so caught up in Sherlock that he had almost forgotten that his father was there. He looked at him and then at what he was staring at, and he flushed. "Oh. Um...Sh-Sherlock gave it to me..."

"Any particular reason?" he asked, his tone showing that he already knew.

"Well..." John looked up at Sherlock and he knew he couldn't hide it. He hadn't thought their announcement would happen like this, but it was too late now. "Sherlock, um...proposed. And I said yes."

Mr. Watson blinked a little before taking a deep breath. He shook his head, looking down at the floor. "If it were anyone else, I would tell you to take off that ring and forbid you from seeing them again." Here he brought his head back up. "But because it's Sherlock...just make sure you wait a few years, boys. You're not even out of secondary school yet."

John's face broke into a broad smile and he launched a hug at his father. "Thank you, thank you!"

Sherlock paled when John's father noticed the ring, almost panicked when he started speaking, but when he finished, he smiled. "I was going to wait until after graduation... so I could ask your blessing first, but..." He bit his lip and looked at the floor, "after coming so close to not being here... I just couldn't wait."

John went back to Sherlock and leaned into his side, putting an arm around his waist. Mr. Watson smiled faintly at the two of them. "I understand, son. Like I said, if it were anyone else I wouldn't approve. But you have shown such love for my boy, even to the point of risking your own life. I don't think there is a way that anyone could keep you apart. Just promise that you'll keep taking care of him."

"I will, I promise you that," Sherlock said seriously and looked at Mr. Watson, his face conveying just how serious he was about that statement.

Mr. Watson looked back at Sherlock and could see the fierceness in his eyes. His son was in good hands. "Welcome to the family, Sherlock," he said quietly.

John grinned brightly and squeezed Sherlock. "Now we just have to tell your parents," he said with a laugh. "But that went so well, I'm hardly worried anymore."

Sherlock smiled back at him and hugged him close. "It's not my parents you have to worry about," he said and looked apologetically at John. "I'm not quite sure how I feel subjecting you to Mycroft just yet, though..."

John looked up at Sherlock confused. "Mycroft? What would Mycroft say?" He hadn't thought that Mycroft would have an issue, especially after all the events of the past few weeks. But John wasn't too worried. If Mycroft felt the need to interrogate him or even battle him to win the right to marry Sherlock, he would do it.

Sherlock sighed, "Mycroft can be... difficult at the best of times. He also has this overwhelming need to protect me and goes to the greatest lengths to make sure I stay safe."

John swallowed. "That's sweet..." He couldn't help remembering that last night with Harry, eight years ago. He shook his head a bit not wanting to think about more tragedy so soon after one. "Besides, I wouldn't ever let anything happen to you. And I'll prove it to him, somehow."

Sherlock smiled and kissed John on the forehead, still mindful of his fiance's father being in the room with them. "That reminds me... I should probably text Mycroft and let him know I'm ready to go home. That is unless..." he looked at John with a smile, "could you maybe give me a ride?"

John looked over to his father who just smiled, knowing he probably wouldn't be home if he went with Sherlock. "Make sure you two are safe," he said. "That's the most important thing."

"Da..." Flushing, John rolled his eyes. "Goodnight." He gave him a hug before leaving with Sherlock

Sherlock grabbed John's hand as they went down the stairs towards his motorbike. "So... your father knows we're already having sex?" He said, eyes twinkling as he tried not to laugh.

John blushed again and looked down at the ground. "I never said anything. He must have guessed since we've had so many sleepovers." He got onto the bike and moved up for Sherlock, trying to quell his embarrassment.

Sherlock chuckled and joined him on the bike, "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, love. After all, it's only natural since the chemistry between us is so..." he leaned close and breathed hotly in John's ear, "electrifying."

John shuddered and turned to catch Sherlock's lips in a firm kiss before turning the bike on. "Don't distract me while I'm driving, darling," he said and winked at him. Facing forward, he pulled away from the curb and drove off.

Sherlock kissed John back with fervor and groaned in frustration when he pulled away. The ride to his house was torture, the vibrations of the motor doing nothing to help Sherlock's... condition.

John was thinking about anything and everything but Sherlock as they rode back to the Holmes residence. Of course, that was hard, considering that Sherlock was right behind him, and he could feel a growing problem brushing against his lower back, causing his own.

As soon as they pulled into his driveway, Sherlock jumped off the bike and when John was done shutting it off and putting up the kickstand, he grinned deviously at him and picked him up, throwing him over his shoulder and heading inside the door.

John took deep breaths as he tried to set his bike up with shaking hands. As he was suddenly lifted, he squeaked indignantly and scrambled to try and grab some part of Sherlock. "You crazy git! What are you doing?" He finally settled on grasping Sherlock's arse, pouting as he felt like a sack of potatoes.

Sherlock just laughed and carried John up the stairs, grinning the whole way there. He pushed his bedroom door open with his foot and shut it behind them. He plopped his fiancé down on the bed and straddled his hips.

"My dear, John... I have been thinking of you _**all**_ day, and they have not been very innocent thoughts." He smirked at the other boy before capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. After lingering long enough for them both to be breathless, he pulled back just barely and moved his head so he was speaking directly into John's ear. "Would you like to hear them?"

John looked up at Sherlock and swallowed, shivering in anticipation. He kissed him back, arms firmly holding him in place as he slowly had his senses taken by his lover. When Sherlock pulled away and spoke, all he could do was whimper and nod weakly. Sherlock was far too good at making him melt.

Sherlock smirked and nipped at John's earlobe. "I have been thinking about how wonderful you looked this morning. Naked and dripping wet. I had to try so very hard not to ravage you in that shower. Not to push you against the wall and just have my way with you."

He pulled away and stripped off his lover's shirt, tossing it away before working on the buttons of his own. Once he shrugged it off, he leaned back in to press their lips together and rocked his hips forward once. "I've also been thinking about how wonderful it felt to have my fingers inside of you the other day. How tight and hot you were. I couldn't help but let my mind wander to how amazing you would feel around my cock."

Sherlock could feel his own heart pounding as he thought about it again and bit his lip as he rocked his hips in a steady rhythm. He let his hand trail down the centre of John's torso and leaned in to whisper in his ear again. "Would you like that, John? Would you like to feel me inside you?"

All John could do was listen and rock back into Sherlock, so desperate for friction as each of his words went straight to his crotch. The images that he had conjured were driving him mad and he clutched at Sherlock's back, trying to press their bare chests together. Any contact would do. He needed Sherlock all over him.

John arched into Sherlock, eyes darkened with lust as he bucked up to get more of him. "Yes...please fuck me, Sherlock. Make me yours." He laid back and pulled Sherlock on top of him, groping his backside as he ground up into his lover. "I want to feel you filling me up, using me to make you feel good. Please..."

Sherlock growled and locked lips with John again, kissing him deeply and grabbing the back of his head to pull him closer. He let go after several moments, backing away panting. Lust overtook his every sense as he practically ripped off the remainder of their clothing and attacked John with more hungry kisses, grinding their naked arousals together.

John kissed Sherlock back with fervor, keeping his body close so that they were touching at every possible place. He let Sherlock undress him fully and cried out softly when their hips bumped together. He returned each of Sherlock's kisses with the same intensity, arms around Sherlock's shoulders, nails dragging along his back.

Sherlock hissed in pleasure as John's fingers dug into his back and moaned, "God, _**John**_... I want you so much." He pulled away long enough to grab the bottle of lube from his bedside table and quickly returned to his lover, giving him a firm kiss.

He spread John's thighs and bit his lip against the sight. "You have no idea how gorgeous you look right now," he breathed. With his legs spread wide and his cock jutting up between them, eyes dilated and the light sheen of sweat glistening off his face and chest... He looked absolutely ravishing.

John looked up at Sherlock, hovering over him with his curls tousled, eyes-half lidded as they grazed over him. "That makes two of us," he said, reaching up to press his palm to Sherlock's chest. "Take me, Sherlock." He spread his legs further, trying to give Sherlock as much of himself as he could.

Sherlock nodded and squirted some lube out onto his fingers, then placed the bottle to the side. He grabbed hold of John's knee with his clean hand and pressed one of his slick digits against his lover's entrance, massaging the muscle until it gave way and he could finally slide his finger inside.

John let out little cries of pleasure as Sherlock fingered him. He swore, he could get off with those fingers alone, they were so long and talented. "Ah...oh, Sherlock...Dear, God." He scraped his fingers down Sherlock's back again, the only thing that he could do in his current state of complete madness. Sherlock reduced him nearly to a puddle.

Sherlock couldn't help groaning, the sounds John was making were music to his ears and he could feel his cock twitch in excitement. He slowly slid in two fingers and began to scissor them, stretching him open. After a few strokes he added a third and crooked them, trying to find his lover's prostate and commit the correct angle to memory.

It was obvious when Sherlock had hit it because John almost screamed from the feeling. He arched up, hips pushing onto Sherlock's fingers, trying to get them deeper. Panting, John relaxed again, but still moaned in his ecstasy from Sherlock's ministrations. "You... Oh, you're amazing..."

Sherlock hummed in response and removed his fingers, reaching in the bedside table again to grab a condom. He ripped it open with his teeth and rolled it on, biting his lip and trying not to come by just that.

Seeing John overcome with lust and writhing from his ministrations had brought him pretty close to the edge and he focused on backing himself away before settling himself between his lover's legs. He adjusted himself until his cock was pressed lightly against John's entrance and looked into his eyes. "Ready?" He said breathlessly, his body almost trembling in anticipation.

John knew he wasn't going to last much longer once Sherlock finally entered. He was already having trouble holding on now, his cock dripping with precum. He pushed his hips towards Sherlock as he felt him so close to his entrance, whining in impatience. "Yes...please, Sherlock."

Sherlock bit his lip as he pushed inside of John slowly. "_**Fuck**_... So tight," he whimpered. Once he was fully seated inside his lover, he leaned forward to give him slow, languid kisses in an attempt to calm them both down. He wanted this to last more than just a few seconds.

Once Sherlock felt that they were both calm enough, he started rolling his hips. He moaned at the sensation, "God, John... You feel _**fantastic**_."

John gasped, gripping the sheets as he tried not to climax then and there. It stung a bit, but the pleasure far outweighed and discomfort. He kissed Sherlock back, whimpering into his mouth as he felt so full with his lover inside. And when Sherlock finally started to move, he moaned loudly and pushed down to meet him. "Sh-Sher...oh, _**fuck**_..." He could barely speak as he was nearly in tears from the sensation.

Sherlock tried to keep things slow, he really did, but after a few thrusts he just couldn't anymore. He growled and grabbed onto the headboard with one hand while the other grasped at John's hip. He started rocking his hips hard and fast, moaning and panting. "Oh, fuck... John... Oh, God... _**yes**_!"

John could only make loud cries as his entire body was rocked by Sherlock's movements. Somehow he managed to get one shaking hand down to wrap around his own cock and stroke sporadically. He couldn't think, could barely breathe, he was so wrapped up in the feeling of Sherlock deep inside of him. He couldn't even warn Sherlock when he was getting closer, though his sounds became louder and more desperate.

Sherlock continued to pound into his lover, unable to do anything more than pant and moan at this point. He could sense that they were both close to the edge and let go of the headboard, grabbing hold of John's right leg and propping it up on his shoulder. He widened his stance a little in order to hit his fiance's prostate dead on with every thrust.

It only took a few thrusts at the new angle. John screamed as his vision whited out, coming hard and fast all over his hand. The pleasure rushed through him, making his body writhe and leaving him almost numb to anything else. After the most powerful orgasm of his life, he finally slumped back and trying to catch his breath as his mind returned to the conscious world.

The sounds of John coming apart brought Sherlock to his own release, his hips jerking sporadically through it. After he was finally finished, he released his lover's leg and collapsed on top of him, breathing hard and heart pounding. "Holy shit..." he mumbled into John's neck, still panting.

John still couldn't speak. He just nodded in agreement, surprised that he could move his head. After a few moments of sheer bliss, he brought his arms around Sherlock and hugged him close. "Fantastic," he said, voice raspy from his screaming.

Sherlock hummed in agreement, "yeah... That was..." he lifted his head and kissed John lazily, "You feel amazing," he murmured against his lover's lips.

John kissed him back with what little energy he could muster. "Mm... I wonder if I'll be able to walk tomorrow," he said with a soft chuckle. He stroked his fingers down Sherlock's cheek. "I love you so much."

Sherlock laughed, "yeah probably not..." He smiled down at John and gave him a peck on the lips, "I love you too." He sighed and pushed himself up, deciding he needed to get them cleaned up before they fell asleep and ended up stuck together. He bit his lip as his softened cock slipped out of John's body and proceeded to remove the condom and get out of bed to throw it away and grab a wash rag.

John sighed and laid back as he waited for Sherlock to return. His hand was still covered in his own cum and there was some on his stomach as well. He was glad Sherlock was at least able to get up because he was certainly not moving for a good twelve hours at least.

Sherlock returned with wash rag in hand and smiled as he walked towards the bed. He gently wiped John off and after his hand was clean, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the knuckles. "I'm really glad you enjoyed that... I was kind of worried I wouldn't fulfill your expectations," he murmured and laced their fingers together.

John managed to sit up a little and squeezed Sherlock's hand. "I could never be disappointed with you," he said, rubbing his thumb over the back of Sherlock's hand. "In fact, that was even better than I expected it to be." With a gentle tug, he pulled Sherlock down to kiss him.

Sherlock sighed happily into the kiss, deepening it, but keeping it slow and loving. He pulled away with a smirk, "does that mean we can do it again sometime?"

John grinned up at Sherlock and licked his lips. "More like anytime," he said and wrapped his arms around his fiance.

Sherlock chuckled, "Mmm... I like the sound of that." He winked at John and leaned in for another kiss. Just then there was a knock at the door and Sherlock groaned, burying his face into the pillow next to John's head.

John accompanied Sherlock's groan with one of his own, holding tight to him as he didn't want Sherlock to get up and open the door. Especially not when the two of them were starkers. "Maybe if we don't make any noise, they'll think we're asleep," he whispered into Sherlock's ear, so low he didn't know if the other boy could hear him.

Sherlock nodded and closed his eyes, feigning sleep. "Don't even bother..." He sighed as he heard his elder brother's voice come through the closed door. "I heard you two at it less than five minutes ago and I know you could not possibly have fallen asleep in such a short period of time, no matter how exhausted you are." Sherlock growled, "what do you _**want**_, Mycroft?"

"I simply wanted to remind you that your birthday gala will be coming up soon. Next Friday in fact." Mycroft said, door still closed. "Shit..." Sherlock mumbled under his breath, "tell them I don't want one!" He shouted. "Now, Sherlock... It's your eighteenth birthday, do you really think mummy and daddy would agree to cancel this year?"

Sherlock sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. He really didn't like his birthday. All it consisted of was smiling at fake people who gave fake wishes and presents that he usually just ended up throwing away. Mycroft was right though, there was no way he could convince his parents to cancel on such a milestone birthday. "Fine... Thank you, Mycroft... Now go!" Sherlock could hear the smile in his brother's voice as he replied, "Good night, dear brother!"

John's face could have passed for a cherry when Mycroft spoke. Hadn't he ever heard of privacy? He buried his face in Sherlock's neck as Mycroft continued, but peeked out again when he heard that it was Sherlock's birthday. Once Mycroft was gone, he looked up at Sherlock and smiled. "Why didn't you tell me that it was your birthday? It would have passed right by and I wouldn't have given you anything."

Sherlock sighed, "I didn't tell you because I didn't want a fuss being made... But obviously that's exactly what's going to happen." He groaned again and buried his face in a pillow.

John laughed a little. "I'll tell you what. I'll make the whole fuss worth your while. All you have to do is sit through the gala like a good boy, and that night I'll give you whatever you like." He walked his fingers up Sherlock's chest and poked him on the nose.

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, "...anything I want?" He said and smirked. "Hmm... I suppose I can do that."

John grinned. "Yes. Anything at all." He was actually excited about this himself. He was certain Sherlock could be very creative if he wanted to be.

Sherlock kissed John lightly, "It will be considerably easier to do since you will be there with me. No worries of _**the girl**_ coming after me." He shivered and snuggled closer to his fiancé.

"Wait, what? What girl?" John asked, a flare of jealousy boiling in his stomach.

Sherlock sighed, "her name is Irene Adler. She's the only girl that's ever tried to flirt with me... She's very persistent." He frowned at John's expression and grabbed onto his waist tighter, "you don't have anything to be jealous of."

John pouted a little. "I just don't like the idea of some girl hanging all over you." He looked down at his ring, a reminder that Sherlock wanted him, not some random bird. He smiled faintly. "I know I don't have to worry. But if she's persistent, she may still try something."

Sherlock kissed his fiancé on the forehead, "Well then, you'll just have to be my bodyguard then, won't you?" He smiled at John and winked.

John grinned. "Yes, I guess I will." He tilted his head up to capture Sherlock's lips in a tender kiss.

Sherlock smiled into the kiss and cupped his fiance's cheek, "I care for you more than anyone, John. And I will _**never**_ love anyone as much as I love you."

John held Sherlock close, pressing their foreheads together. "I couldn't have said that better myself."


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Here's the next installment of our series! We hope you enjoy this chapter and keep those reviews coming! ^_^

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The week went by quickly, even though John was by himself at school for the entirety of it. But he was in a great mood. His father had calculated that they would have more than double the money that he had been making with the two old jobs combined, and when John mentioned that Sherlock's birthday was coming, he spotted him a bit of money to get him something.

He had gone to the store and picked something that he really hoped that Sherlock would like. On Friday, John went home after school to try to find something decent to wear that night.

Sherlock was able to get his stitches removed that Wednesday, just in time for his wound to start closing up completely. He was glad for that, because he had _so_ much planned for John and he wanted to be able to enjoy it fully without worrying about tearing his wound back open.

He arranged for a suit to be brought to John's flat. He decided on a nice periwinkle coloured tie, knowing it would bring out the blue in John's eyes. Sherlock's own suit was made in the same way as John's, but he had a deep purple tie instead. After he finished adjusting himself, he smiled and walked out the door to the limo his parents had arranged to go pick up John and take them to the castle (yes, castle) where they were having Sherlock's party.

John heard a knock at the door and went to open it, finding a man standing with a garment bag. "Um, hello?"

"Your suit, Mr. Watson," the man said, handing it over to him. "Hand-selected by your fiance."

"Oh. Thanks," John took the bag with a little confusion. Sherlock hadn't told him that he was going to pick something for him to wear. But he supposed it was just as well. After all, he really didn't have anything of his own. "Uh, am I supposed to tip you or..."

The man smiled. "That won't be necessary. But please do hurry to change as Master Holmes will be here soon."

"Yeah. Of course, thank you." John took the suit up to his room and changed. It fit him perfectly, and John wondered if Sherlock had had it tailored for him. Probably. He adjusted his cuffs and fixed his tie before trying to do something with his hair, but it just insisted on laying flat on his head. With a sigh, he went to the living room to wait.

Sherlock shook his leg impatiently on the whole ride to John's flat, checking his watch every few seconds. When they finally arrived he allowed the driver to open the door for him and stepped out, brushing the wrinkles out of the front of his suit jacket. He made his way up the stairs and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

John made sure that he had everything in order. His gift to Sherlock was wrapped nicely, he had his mobile in his jacket pocket, and he had polished his engagement ring so that 'The Girl' would see it easily and know that Sherlock was his. He heard the knock and nearly jumped to the door, opening it to find Sherlock there in his suit. And his mouth dropped open a little.

Sherlock's suit was cut just for him, and it accented the best features of his body perfectly. The purple of the tie contrasted beautifully with the pale skin of his long neck, and John licked his lips. "If we didn't have somewhere to be, I would rip that suit off of you and fuck you senseless."

Sherlock smiled and looked his fiancé up and down, "I have to say the feeling is mutual." The tie accented John's eyes perfectly, just like Sherlock knew it would, and it almost made them sparkle. "We'll have plenty of time for that after the party." He held his arm out for John to take and grinned brightly at him.

John smirked and took the offered arm, kissing Sherlock on the cheek. "Happy Birthday, love," he said and handed the gift over to him.

Sherlock blushed as John kissed his cheek and took the gift from his fiancé. "John... I told you not to make a fuss," he murmured and smiled down at him. He led the other boy down the stairs and to the limo where the driver was waiting to open the door for them.

John shrugged, letting the man open the door for him and sliding into the limo. "I know you did. But how could I not get my fiance a gift for his eighteenth birthday?" He looked around the interior of the limo, more than a little impressed. The seats were soft leather, there was a small fridge near their feet, and music was playing low in surround sound.

Sherlock sat the gift down on the seat beside him and pulled John next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist and kissing him. "Thank you, love," he murmured and smiled. "I'll open it in a little bit, but first..." he reached down into the mini fridge and grabbed a bottle of champagne and two chilled glasses. He handed the glasses to John and worked on popping the bottle open.

John held the glasses in his hands and raised an eyebrow as he watched Sherlock open the bottle. "Pulling out all the stops, eh?" he said with a smirk. This was probably the most fancy occasion that he had ever been to before. He certainly had never had champagne before. And suddenly he was nervous.

The people at the party would have to all be in the same social class as Sherlock's family. What if they could tell that he was average, only just coming out of being poor? What would they say? Would they laugh him out of the room? He tried not to let his feelings show as he waited for Sherlock to pour the drink.

Sherlock smiled, "yes, my parents wanted us to enjoy ourselves. Hence the fancy limo, champagne and the venue of course..." He started to pour the champagne but caught the look on John's face.

"Hey... you have nothing to worry about, okay? Everyone that will be at the party have no reason to mock you. If they do, I'll stand up for you." He smiled reassuringly at his fiance and poured the champagne, putting the cork back in and setting the bottle aside before taking one of the glasses from John.

John looked up at Sherlock and sighed. He could read him so easily. "I know you will. I just..." He bit his lip before continuing. "I won't feel like I belong there. It's a totally different world from what I'm used to, and I feel like I'll stick out like a sore thumb." He looked down into his champagne, watching the tiny bubbles rise to the surface and pop.

Sherlock smiled sadly at John, "In case you've forgotten, love... I don't fit in with them either. All these people... they might as well have been forced to come. They could care less that it's a party for me. They all think I'm a freak and are just there to make themselves look good. The only difference about this year... Is that I have you. You're the first one to make me feel like I belong. That I am a perfectly fine person to be and that I don't have to fit in." He looked deeply into John's eyes and smiled after he finished speaking, hoping that he said enough to squash his fears.

"Sherlock..." John leaned over into his side and grabbed his empty hand with his own. "I'm sure that there are at least some people at the party who want to be there for you. But I'm very glad that I can make you feel like you belong." He tilted his head up to kiss under Sherlock's jaw, feeling better. "Thank you. You always know just what to say." Sitting up, he raised his glass and smiled at Sherlock. "A toast, to my gorgeous, intelligent, perfect fiance on his eighteenth birthday. May there be many more to come."

Sherlock smiled gratefully at John and clinked their glasses together. He raised his glass to his lips and taking a sip. The driver turned to let them know they would be arriving soon and Sherlock took another drink and sat his glass in the holder in front of him. "Ready?" he said and smiled at John, grasping his hand and squeezing.

John took a wary sip and then made a face. He didn't know why Harry had liked alcohol so much, it was rough to get down. He took another sip just to be polite, glad that they pulled up on to the curb a moment later. He sighed and nodded a little, smiling back at Sherlock. "Yes. I'm ready."

Sherlock helped John as they stepped out of the limo and took his arm. He walked them up to the door and placed his hand on the small of his back as they walked into the reception area. He saw his parents right away and his mother walked over, beaming at them.

"Oh look at you! You both look rather handsome this evening, boys." She hugged them both and gave them each a kiss on the cheek. "They'll be serving the hors d'oeuvres soon, go grab a drink if you like," she gestured towards the bar on the far side of the room.

John was glad that Sherlock would be staying close to him because the moment he stepped out of the limo he was in awe. They were at a castle, a real castle! He shouldn't have been that surprised really considering that Sherlock's house was already like a castle on the inside. But not on the outside, not like this.

He shook his head in disbelief as they walked inside. At least from here it didn't look like anything but a really fancy catering hall. He smiled seeing Mr. and Mrs. Holmes and returned the latter's embrace. John eyed the bar for a moment. He'd have to see if they had anything virgin.

"Thanks mum," Sherlock said as his mother walked away to greet some other guests that had just arrived. He looked around at the other people, not seeing Irene among them, but she would most certainly be here soon. He guided John to the bar and sat down on one of the stools. "So, what would you like, love? I'm not much of a drinker myself, I've only ever had champagne and wine."

John sat down next to Sherlock, resting his arms on the bar. "I don't know. I guess seltzer water is fine for me. I try to avoid drinking." He hadn't mentioned much about Harry to Sherlock so far, but now wasn't the time. He didn't want to spoil the mood with stories of his sister's descent into alcoholism.

Sherlock nodded and gave the bartender his order, deciding on getting the same thing as John. He took a sip of his drink and looked out over the crowd again, almost choking on his drink when he saw _her_. He ducked his head behind his fiance, hoping to be able to hide from her as long as possible.

John looked over to Sherlock when he heard him choking, and then followed his gaze. There near the door was a girl, rather pale with dark hair done up in a bun and wearing a ruby-red dress that looked almost like it was painted on her skin. He knew instantly that that must have been Irene. With a scowl, he wrapped an arm around Sherlock's waist, grip tight on his hip.

Sherlock hid his face in John's shoulder and closed his eyes, jumping at a touch to his shoulder. "Hello, Sherlock!" Sherlock sighed and lifted his head, turning around slowly. "Hello, Irene," he grumbled and plastered on a smile. "Who's your friend?" She said and looked John up and down, nose turned up.

John took a deep breath, trying hard not to bark at her to leave. Swiveling his stool around he grabbed Sherlock's hand while at the same time putting his free one out to shake Irene's. The hand with the ring of course. "John Watson," he said with an overly-bright smile. "Fiance is the correct term actually." He couldn't help lifting his chin a little in pride at his ability to use the word, especially to deter this girl from touching his Sherlock.

Sherlock smiled and blushed as John introduced himself. _That's my man_, he thought and chuckled to himself. "Oh... well... it's very nice to meet you, John," Irene said, obviously thrown off. She smiled seductively at Sherlock, "I thought you weren't even interested in a relationship, Sherlock," she cooed. Sherlock sighed, "I wasn't... but then I met John and we just instantly clicked." He smiled at his fiance and leaned in to peck him on the cheek.

John leaned as far over as he could towards Sherlock, a bit of a smug look on his face. "Yup. It was meant to be. I didn't even like boys before I met Sherlock." He smiled over at the other boy before looking back at Irene. He didn't like that expression on her face.

Irene raised an eyebrow, "oh really? What made you change your mind so quickly? You're only what... 17? You've hardly seen enough girls to make such an important decision." She smiled and cocked her head to the side.

John licked his lips a bit nervously. "Well, I never said that I only like boys. I still see appeal in girls," he admitted, hoping Sherlock wouldn't take it the wrong way. Then he added with more confidence, "Sherlock is very special, though. It wouldn't matter if he were a girl or a boy, I would still love him the same."

Sherlock frowned when he heard what John said, but felt marginally better when he said that he loved him no matter what. Irene smirked, "interesting..." she looked back and forth between the two boys and walked off, swaying her hips a little.

John glared at her back as he left, ignoring her little extra movements as he was sure that she was trying to goad him. He turned back to Sherlock and sighed. "Well. I can see why you're so annoyed by her. And she wasn't even trying to come on to me."

Sherlock hummed in acknowledgement and turned around, going back to his drink. He couldn't help but feel a pit of hurt in his stomach as he thought over what John had said about still being attracted to girls.

John frowned, trying to look Sherlock in the face. "Hey, what is it?" He could see that something was bothering him, and he could only guess that it was what he had said. "Oh, Sherlock, come on. I can't help that I'm not completely gay. But just because I may still think girls are attractive doesn't mean that I'm going to go off and shag them."

He turned Sherlock's face to look him in the eyes. "I love _**you**_, and only you. You're the only person I want to be with, ever. And not even the prettiest girl in the world could change that."

Sherlock smiled sadly, "doesn't mean she won't try to..." Just then his mother announced that the dining area was open and he stood to follow everyone else in, holding his arm out for John again.

John was about to say something when Sherlock's mother came out to bring them into the dining room. He sighed and took Sherlock's arm, giving it an extra squeeze as they went inside.


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note: Here comes another one! We're not even halfway through the story yet, folks so there's plenty more where this came from. Keep those reviews coming and enjoy the angst that is this chapter!

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The dining area was elegant, with many round tables surrounding a large dance floor. John paled a little. He'd forgotten that there would probably be dancing. He didn't know the first thing about dancing.

Sherlock led John through the doors and to a long table at the far end of the dining hall. He smiled at all the people that stopped them on their way to wish him a happy birthday and shook their hands, introducing John to all of them. When they finally made it to the table, he pulled out the chair for his fiancé and took a seat next to him.

John had a healthy blush plastered to his face as Sherlock continually called him his fiance to all of the guests that they spoke to. He tried to be as polite as possible, wanting to impress them and show that he wasn't just some common boy. So far, it seemed like no one really noticed. He gladly took the chair Sherlock pulled for him and slid into the table. As soon as Sherlock had sat down, he grabbed his hand again and laced their fingers.

Sherlock's lips quirked into a smile when John took his hand and he lifted their joined fingers up to his mouth, kissing the back of his fiance's. His mother stood and made a big speech, bursting into tears near the end and causing his father to have to stand and finish it for her.

He ducked his head and blushed, extremely embarrassed over the entire display. When dinner was finally served, he relaxed a bit, taking a few bites before just pushing the rest of the food around on his plate.

John thought that Mrs. Holmes's speech was incredibly sweet, even if she couldn't finish it. Part of him wished that his own mother still wanted to be a part of his life, that she wanted to do something like this. Sherlock was incredibly lucky to have his mother still. He was broken out of his reverie when Sherlock tried to hide and he laughed, kissing his cheek.

Once he had gotten his plate, John dug in with gusto. He looked over to Sherlock and frowned before getting an idea. He took his fork and speared some of Sherlock's food, lifting it to his mouth. "Open up, darling," he said.

Sherlock smiled and opened his mouth, feeling a bit like a child with his fiance feeding him. He decided to have a bit of fun with it though and took a bite as slowly and seductively as he could possibly manage. He chewed and swallowed, rolling his eyes back and moaning softly, "mmm, _**so**_ delicious," he murmured and smirked.

John found his mouth hanging open a little as he watched Sherlock and he licked his lips. After a moment he blinked out of his trance and smacked him playfully on the shoulder before leaning close to whisper in his ear. "Don't get me started, or I'll wind up ripping that suit off of you in front of the whole party," he said, voice low.

Sherlock laughed, "wouldn't that make for the talk of all of London?" he said playfully and winked at John. He finally relented and ate most of his meal, even stealing a couple of bites of John's dessert when it came. As they finished up, a slower song came on the radio and he smiled, standing and holding out his hand. "May I have this dance?" He grinned down at John, hoping he would accept.

John ate happily, the food and dessert just as incredible as at the Holmes residence. Then the music started and the dance floor was open. Suddenly he felt like his meal might make a second appearance. Before he could say anything, Sherlock was asking to dance, and John looked down at his offered hand in horror. "Um...I don't know. I just ate. I should digest a little," he said as an excuse. Dear God, he was going to wind up making a fool of himself after all.

Sherlock smiled reassuringly at him, "come on, you'll be fine." When he saw that John wasn't going to give in that easily, he put on his best pout, batting his eyelashes for good measure, "please? For my birthday?"

John couldn't resist that face. He swallowed thickly, his nausea not disappearing as of yet, and took his hand. "Sherlock," he said as a warning. "I'm really rubbish at dancing." They were walking onto the floor and his heart was pounding in trepidation. Already there were other couples, all looking graceful, dancing around them. He was definitely going to be sick.

Sherlock could tell that John was nervous and pulled him in, resting one hand on his hip and clasping their other hands together. "Just relax," he said softly and pulled him even closer, "and follow my lead."

John looked up at Sherlock and bit his lip. He nodded and held tightly to his hand, his free hand going up to Sherlock's shoulder. Sherlock had him. It was going to be alright.

Sherlock took the lead and soon had them gliding across the dance floor. He looked deeply into John's eyes and smiled. He was so in love with this boy it scared him. Sherlock found himself thinking about all the things that tried to tear them apart and they had made it through each and every one of them. Every difficulty only brought them closer and he wouldn't trade any moment for anything.

John found himself easily able to keep up with Sherlock, keeping his eyes locked with his fiance's. Once again, Sherlock had taken something in his life and made it better. He was so happy, so lucky, to call this boy his own. After a while, he laid his head on Sherlock's chest, hearing his heartbeat gently thumping under his ear. He thanked whoever was listening everyday that he had these moments, chances to hear Sherlock's living heart. He was so grateful for him.

Sherlock sighed and rested his cheek on the top of John's head. As the song drew to a close he pulled away and placed a kiss on his fiance's temple. He drew back further and looked down into his eyes, "I love you so much," he said softly. Sherlock gave him a quick kiss on the lips before stepping away and grabbing the other boy's hand. "Come with me, I want to show you something," he said and smiled.

John smiled up at Sherlock, chest swelling with emotion. "I love you, too." He had rather enjoyed the dance, in spite of his earlier nerves, so he was a little disappointed they weren't going to go again. But he was sure that whatever Sherlock wanted to show him was worth it. He held fast to Sherlock's hand and followed him out of the dining area.

Sherlock led John up some stairs and around a corner, looking both ways before taking him outside to a balcony. The view was perfect from here, he'd been on tours here before and knew that this particular balcony had a gorgeous view of London. He took John over to the railing and wrapped his arms around his waist, leaning his head on the shorter boy's shoulder and looking out at the city.

John gasped when he finally saw where Sherlock was bringing him. He could see everything. Big Ben, the Eye, the city with all the lights. "Oh, Sherlock..." He put his hands on the railing as he looked out, tilting his head over so that it was leaning against Sherlock's. "It's amazing." He finally pulled his gaze away to look sideways at his lover. "You're amazing."

Sherlock smiled and kissed John quickly on the lips before pulling away. "Stay right here, I'm going to grab a couple of glasses of sparkling grape juice so we can have a proper toast." He squeezed John's hands before dropping them and walking back inside.

John grinned, glad that Sherlock was getting something that he could actually stomach to drink. He turned back to the view as he waited for his fiance, marveling at how beautiful everything looked, just because the sun had gone down.

A few moments later, the door to the balcony opened again. "Hello, John," a high, lilting voice said. Irene stepped out of the shadows, a smirk on her face. She walked up slowly, swaying her hips and stopped when she stood next to John at the railing.

John turned with a smile when he heard the door but it instantly disappeared when he realised who it was. "What are you doing here?" he asked, tone defensive. He hoped Sherlock came back soon. He could tell that this girl was trouble, and didn't know what she was capable of.

Irene shrugged, "I just came to talk that's all," she smiled sweetly at him and leaned a bit closer. "I had a question for you actually... You said that even if Sherlock was a girl, you would still love him, right?"

John leaned away, though he was careful to make sure he wasn't leaning over the railing. He caught a glimpse of how high up they were and suddenly he didn't feel very safe on the balcony anymore. He'd always had an inexplicable fear of falling... "Y-yes," he stammered out in response to Irene. "Why do you ask?"

Irene pursed her lips, "well... I was just thinking... if you met, say, a _**female**_ version of Sherlock, would you be just as attracted to her? Someone clever, beautiful, pale skin, dark hair..." she smiled brightly, "oh wait... that just described... _**me**_." She quickly grabbed onto the back of John's head and pulled him in, crushing her lips against his.

Suddenly there was a gasp and the sound of glass shattering on the stone floor. Irene pulled away and looked towards the source of the sound. There stood Sherlock, mouth agape and hurt clearly written on his face. "John..." he said quietly as tears welled in his eyes. He shook his head and flung the door open, running back inside.

John made a muffled grunting sound as Irene forced herself on him, and just as he was trying to push her away, he could see Sherlock in the door. His eyes went wide, heart breaking at the sight of his fiance looking so devastated, and he got an extra burst of energy. He shoved Irene to the ground as Sherlock ran off. "Shit!"

He was about to go off after him, but turned back to the girl, his anger clearly written on his face. "You are _**not**_ a female version of Sherlock. Because even if you look similar, and even if you're clever, Sherlock has a good heart. He would never have done something like this." Shaking his head, John sprinted inside, calling out for Sherlock to try to get him to stop.

Sherlock continued running as fast as he could until he couldn't breathe anymore and collapsed on the ground in sobs, his back against the wall. He brought both of his hands up to his hair, gripping tightly and trying to calm himself. But it was no use, his heart was shattered. He couldn't believe that something like this could happen and started rocking back and forth, tears flowing freely down his face.

John followed Sherlock, trying to keep up, but he was a fast runner with those damn long legs. Luckily (or unluckily) he finally found him curled up on the floor, having another episode. He felt like he might cry himself to see Sherlock this way again. How was he going to get through to him this time? Kneeling down next to him, John tried to stop his rocking and hug him. "Come on, Sherlock, please...You know that I love you so much."

Sherlock tensed and let out a pained cry, balling his hands into fists and hitting John in the chest. In his current state though, the punches didn't do much of anything. "Why? Why would you do that? You promised... and I believed you! How could I have believed you?! How... how _**dare**_ you?!" He screamed and continued to sob and tremble.

"Me?" John couldn't help it, he got angry. Did Sherlock really have so little faith in him to think that he would betray him that way? He let go of him and stood. "You honestly think that after everything we've been through that I would blow it all by doing something stupid like that? In case you didn't notice, that girl is insane! _**She**_ cornered _**me**_."

He looked down at his crying mess of a fiance and just wanted to hold him and apologise and make everything better, but he couldn't let this go. "Sherlock... if you can't trust me, this isn't going to work. You have to believe in me. Like I believe in you."

Sherlock pulled himself together as best he could and looked up at John, "No. Please, John... you can't... you can't leave me. I _**do**_ trust you, I just..." he bit his lip and looked down at the ground, "It's hard to understand sometimes, you know? That you would... love someone like me. Someone so messed up..." he felt tears coming to his eyes again and squeezed his eyes shut. "I trust you, John. I believe in you, I believe in _**us**_. Please don't leave..." he whispered brokenly.

John sighed and knelt next to him again, cupping his face in both hands. "I told you," he said softly. "When I look at you, I only see the brilliant, wonderful man you are. So what if you've got flaws? We all do. That doesn't make you unlovable." He leaned forward and gave him a gentle kiss, rubbing his thumbs over Sherlock's cheekbones.

"Listen to me, Sherlock Holmes. You are my entire world, the other half of my soul. You have no idea how shattered I was when I thought you were..." He swallowed before continuing. "The point is, I love you with every fibre of my being. I love your strengths and I love your weaknesses. Nothing and no one can ever change that. All right?" John smiled softly as he continued to smooth his thumbs on Sherlock's face, catching a few stray tears.

Sherlock smiled and nodded, "I love you, too John... more than anything. I am so lucky to have you." He grabbed John by the back of the head and pulled him in gently for another kiss. When he pulled away to breathe, he smiled weakly. "Did you tell her off?" he asked, resting their foreheads together.

John relaxed, kissing Sherlock back. He was glad that he had gotten through to him. Now if only they could avoid these problems in the first place. John smirked at Sherlock's question. "Of course. I wasn't going to leave letting her think she won. As if she ever had a chance."

He rolled his eyes with a soft chuckle before giving Sherlock another quick kiss. "She was a bloody awful kisser too. Smushed her lips up against me. I'm pretty sure her lipstick rubbed off." Sure enough, when John swiped the back of his hand over his mouth, it came back with a faint red stain.

Sherlock frowned at the sight of the lipstick and pulled John back in for another kiss, swiping his tongue across the other boy's lips, determined to wipe away every trace of Irene. He closed his eyes and focused on the feelings that were bubbling up in his chest. John was so good to him, so perfect, and right there and then he vowed to never doubt his love again.

John made a soft sound as Sherlock kissed him, easily forgetting the feeling of Irene with his fiance's mouth on his. He hated that he had been kissed by anyone else. It felt wrong, disgusting, to do this with anyone else but Sherlock. John wrapped his arms around the other boy's neck and held him there, letting Sherlock work his magic on him. Much as it wasn't his fault that this had happened, he decided to be more careful around crazy girls. He never wanted to see Sherlock so upset again.

After several moments, Sherlock released John's lips, but rested their foreheads together. "I love you so much," he whispered and smiled at his fiancé. "I'm so sorry I ever doubted you, I promise it will never happen again." He lifted both his hands to cup the other boy's face and placed another soft kiss on his lips. Sherlock then stood up and held his hand out to help his fiancé up. "Come on, let's go back to the party... I want to dance with you again."

John hummed softly, smiling back at Sherlock. "It's all right." He did understand why after so long of being hated it would be hard to believe that someone loved you. So John was just going to have to keep proving his love. He grinned up at Sherlock and took his hand to stand up. "Sounds lovely."

Sherlock smiled and led John back to the dining area and out to the dance floor. There was a faster song playing now, so he smirked and pressed his back against the other boy's front, grabbing his hands to place them on his hips and began swaying to the beat.

John grinned at this new style of dancing and he buried his face in the back of Sherlock's neck, kissing him there as they continued to grind. He wondered distantly what everyone else must be thinking, seeing two boys dance so intimately. After all, just because Sherlock's family accepted it, didn't mean all his guests did. Then again, John couldn't be bothered to care. He was enjoying himself with the boy he loved.

Sherlock smiled and continued to dance, occasionally rolling his hips back to grind his arse against his fiance's groin. He closed his eyes and threw his head back, focusing on the music and the feel of John behind him.

John let out a soft groan and moved his hands possessively up and down Sherlock's sides. He moved his lips to the newly exposed parts of Sherlock's neck, kissing and nipping in a line down the pale column of skin.

Sherlock whimpered and reached a hand back to grasp at the nape of John's neck. He bit his lip as the song played on and could feel his fiance's erection growing against his backside, only increasing his own excitement.

John ground harder into Sherlock, trying to garner what little friction he could. He should have known what this would do to him before they started. Unless of course that was his plan all along. John almost couldn't stop himself from dancing Sherlock out of the room and pinning him to the wall in some dark corner of the castle.

Sherlock let out a low moan and swiftly turned around, wrapping his arms around John's waist and bringing him flush against his body. He put one of his legs in between his fiance's and leaned in close enough so they were sharing the same air.

John nearly growled, hands going back to Sherlock's hips as they were now face to face. He started kissing Sherlock's neck again while slowly grinding against Sherlock's leg. His hands slipped around to grope Sherlock's arse, tugging him even closer.

"Fuck..." Sherlock swore under his breath and leaned closer to speak in John's ear. "Unless you want me to end up molesting you on the dance floor, I suggest we run to the limo to continue this."

John swallowed and nodded. There was no way that they could just stop and hope that their erections went away, not after practically having clothed-sex on the dance floor. "Lead the way."


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: Another chapter coming your way. This one's going to be a little extra long to make up for the gap in posts. There's a lot of smut in this chapter, be warned! xD Hope you enjoy it and keep those reviews coming!

* * *

Sherlock grabbed John by the wrist and pulled him off the dance floor and out the door. He speed walked to the driveway, demanded the keys from the driver and instructed him to leave for a few minutes. His hands were shaking, so it took a little while to get the door unlocked, but once he did he jumped inside and pulled John in with him by the lapels of his jacket.

John kept up with Sherlock, his cock aching painfully between his legs as they went out to the limo. Once they were finally inside he closed the door behind him and pounced on Sherlock, pushing him onto his back on the seat and kissing him firmly. Then he pulled back and looked down at his lover with lust-darkened eyes. "I promised you whatever you want. Any requests?"

Sherlock groaned, "_**fuck**_ yes... But don't think this is the only time I'll want you tonight," he smiled and winked up at John. "Right now though... I want you to ride me," he breathed and grabbed tightly to his fiancé's hips, pulling him into a slow grind.

John swallowed hard. The thought of having Sherlock twice in one night only served to increase his arousal. He moved on Sherlock, rolling his hips so their still-covered erections rubbed together deliciously. John moved his hands up to Sherlock's tie, loosening it from his neck so that he could open the buttons on his shirt and reveal that gorgeous pale skin. He bent to start nipping at Sherlock's collarbone.

Sherlock moaned and started working on John's tie, loosening it and pulling it over his head. He bucked up into the other boy, his breath coming out in pants. "Oh God, John..." He pulled his fiancé's shirt out of his trousers and slid his hands underneath, digging his fingers into the skin of his back.

John unbuttoned Sherlock's shirt completely, pushing it aside so that the entire expanse of his front was visible. He smoothed his hands over his lover's body, groaning as he felt Sherlock's fingers on him. "Fuck, Sherlock..." he choked out, moving his lips to Sherlock's breastbone.

Sherlock moaned, "John... Get the rest of these clothes out of the way as soon as possible before I rip them off of us." He tightened his grip on John's back. His self control was very thin and he didn't want to ruin such lovely suits in his enthusiasm.

John made a noise of frustration. Suits were so sexy and yet they were a pain in the arse when the actual sex came around. He started undoing his shirt, fumbling with the buttons and tossing his jacket off in the process.

Sherlock waited as patiently as he could, but soon found he couldn't anymore. He decided to help John and started working on their trousers, growling as he fumbled with the buttons and zippers.

John finally gave up on the shirt and then pushed Sherlock's hand away to get at his trousers. He pulled them down with his pants and moved to work off Sherlock's. Once they were both bare from the waist down, he gave Sherlock his fingers to suck. He was going to prepare himself.

Sherlock's eyes widened as he realised what John was planning. He greedily sucked and licked his fiancé's fingers, coating them in saliva. He snuck a hand down to the other boy's arse and gave a squeeze, unable to help himself.

John groaned and pushed back into Sherlock's hand. He thrust his fingers into his fiancé's mouth, and when they were sufficiently soaked, he pulled them out and scooted off of Sherlock. He leaned back, spreading his legs, and reached down, moaning as he circled his entrance. "Fuck, Sherlock...you have no idea what you do to me..." He pushed a finger inside with a cry. "I-I...oh, God. I can't wait to bounce on your cock." He added a second finger, stretching himself.

Sherlock groaned at the sight of John's arsehole stretched around his own fingers. And his words... _God_ they just made him harder. He reached down to softly stroke himself as he watched his fiancé. "Shit, John... I've never felt anything like being inside you. I can't wait until you're ready for me," Sherlock murmured. He scooted until he was in a sitting position, still stroking his length and eyes locked on John.

John thrust his fingers, smirking as he realised he was giving Sherlock a show. When he couldn't take it anymore he pulled his fingers out, sitting up and climbing into Sherlock's lap. Body shaking a little, he lifted his hips and hovered over Sherlock. He lowered down slowly, feeling Sherlock penetrate him and he cried out in delight. "Oh...oh, Sherlock, _**fuck**_!"

Sherlock groaned and grabbed onto John's hips, guiding him down onto his cock. He threw his head back, panting and trying to calm himself down. "_**Ohhh**_ shit... Gimme a minute," he breathed. Every feeling was intensified because of the fact he wasn't wearing a condom this time. He breathed deeply in through his nose and squeezed his eyes shut.

John was nearly crying in pleasure. He had thought it was great before, but without a condom he could actually _feel_ Sherlock touching his inner walls. It was...indescribable. He waited, panting, and leaned forward to put his hands on Sherlock's chest.

Sherlock caught his breath and finally opened his eyes, looking at John and nodding slowly. "O-okay, I think I'm ready."

John nodded and slowly lifted himself, coming down hard on Sherlock. "Oh...oh, fuck..." A tear trailed down John's cheek as he started to move in a steady rhythm. He kept his hands on Sherlock's chest to keep himself in place.

Sherlock leaned forward and kissed the tear away. "I love you," he whispered and captured John's lips. He kept his hands on his hips, rocking up to meet him on every thrust.

John kept his hips moving, kissing Sherlock back as he whimpered at the sensation. He reached one hand down and stroked his own cock, using his precum to slick himself up.

Sherlock reached back and let his fingers trail down John's back, slipping teasingly between his arse cheeks. He pulled away from the kiss, moaning loudly and panting. "John... You're so _**fucking**_ good... So tight... Shit," he breathed and dug his nails into his fiancé's hip.

John whined as Sherlock's fingers grazed in the cleft of his arse. He squeezed himself as he stroked and moved faster on his lover, slamming down to try and get a hit on his sweet spot. "I l-love you...oh, fuck...I love it when you- _**ah!**_- fill me up..."

Sherlock growled, shifting his hips to try and help hit his lover's prostate. "God, yes... That's it, love, ride me harder... _**fuck**_!" He reared his hand back and slapped one of John's arse cheeks with a resounding smack.

John cried out as Sherlock hit his prostate at the same moment of the smack. "Oh, _**Sherlock**_! Fuck, yes!" He started moving faster, coming down as hard as he could. "So...so good...so close..."

"Ohhhh, John... _**John**_," Sherlock moaned, feeling himself get even closer to his climax. "M-me too... come with me, love," he breathed and wrapped his hand around John's and helped jerk his cock faster.

John kept his movements up, heat coiling in his stomach. "Ah...ah, God...oh, _**Sherlock**_!" He cried out in pleasure as Sherlock hit him one last time in his prostate, pushing him over the edge. He came hard, body tensing and nearly convulsing as he spilled out over his and Sherlock's hands.

The increased tightness around his cock and the sight of John coming apart caused Sherlock's own orgasm. He came deep inside of his lover and screamed John's name. When he was finally milked of all he had, he let his head fall back, panting.

John gasped at the feeling of Sherlock coming inside of him, filling him with the hot result of their love-making. That was certainly a new sensation, and he whimpered softly as he collapsed backward. "God, Sherlock..."

Sherlock couldn't speak, he just nodded and grunted in acknowledgement. After a few minutes he finally found his voice again and smiled at John. "That... was the most amazing feeling ever. I don't think I want to use a condom ever again," he chuckled and looked around for something to clean them both up with.

John nodded emphatically. "You should feel it from my end," he said with a lopsided grin. He looked down at the floor and grabbed the tie he was wearing before. "I think this is the best we can do right now," he said, handing it to Sherlock before slumping back again. He didn't want to move an inch. Actually he didn't think he could.

Sherlock laughed, "oh don't worry, love... I plan to do just that once we revive ourselves." He wiped himself off and pulled his pants and trousers back up, fastening them. Then he crawled over to John and kissed him softly on the lips as he wiped away the cum dripping from his used entrance. "We'll have to at least get semi-decent. It just occurred to me they still haven't brought out my cake yet." He grinned, "oh... and I haven't opened your present to me either."

John hummed and kissed Sherlock back, propping himself on his elbows. He let Sherlock clean him off and then pulled up his pants and trousers. At the thought of having to go back to the party, John groaned but then sighed. "Well, at least Irene will know exactly what we were doing when I waddle back inside," he said with a smirk. He sat up fully and watched nervously as Sherlock picked up his gift. "I hope that you like it. I only had so much money..."

Sherlock laughed, "Yes, I suppose she will." He smiled at John as he unwrapped his gift. He opened up the lid and pulled back the tissue paper, his eyes wide. "John... It's beautiful." He pulled out the dark blue cashmere scarf and ran his fingers across it. "I love it... Thank you." He leaned over and gave his fiancé a kiss on the cheek.

John smiled widely, "You really like it?" He took the scarf out and tied it gently around Sherlock's neck. "Just like I thought. It really brings out the blue in your eyes." He caressed his fiancé's cheek for a moment. "I know this sounds weird but it reminds me of you. Soft and warm, luxurious and sexy, and very special."

Sherlock smiled and leaned into the touch to his cheek. He grabbed hold of John's hand and placed a kiss to the centre of his palm. "Thank you... No one has ever said anything that nice to me before." He beamed at his fiancé as happy tears came to his eyes. How could he ever have doubted this young man's love for him? It was written clearly all over his face in that one moment. Sherlock knew this scarf would forever be his favourite item of clothing.

John grinned. "Get used to it. There's a lot more where that came from," he said, wiping Sherlock's tears away gently. He shifted to lay his head in Sherlock's lap, smiling up at him. Grabbing both of Sherlock's hands, he laced their fingers and waved their hands a little.

Sherlock stroked his fingers through John's hair for a few moments and sighed happily. "We had probably better head back in before they start looking for us," he said softly. He lifted his fiancé's head and kissed him lovingly before opening the door to the limo and stepping out. He started buttoning his shirt back up, sticking his tongue out a little as he concentrated.

John pouted a little as Sherlock got up and then started buttoning his shirt up. He stepped out with Sherlock, shaking his head a little as he watched him fumble with the buttons. "Let me," he said, and nudged Sherlock's hands away to start doing the buttons himself.

Sherlock smiled as he watched John button his shirt up for him. "What would I do without you?" He chuckled and straightened out his fiancé's collar and brushed off the shoulders of his jacket.

John laughed a little, but the question actually hit home. If he wanted to be completely honest with himself, Sherlock might very well be dead without him. Shaking his head, John smiled and offered his arm out to Sherlock. "Shall we, darling?"

Sherlock grinned, "yes, indeed." He took John's arm and walked back towards the dining area. "There you two are!" Sherlock's mother sighed and grabbed her son, dragging him over to a round table set up in front of the crowd of people. The chef brought out the cake, which was a beautiful four tier dark chocolate cake with fresh strawberry and chocolate filling.

True to his word, John waddled into the building, trying as best as he could to walk normally. Though when he caught a glimpse of Irene he played it up a little, sticking his arse out as he was led over to the table with the cake.

They all sang Happy Birthday and Sherlock smiled over at John before blowing out the candles. Everyone applauded and his mother and father came over to give him a hug. "What did you wish for, son?" his father asked, smiling down at him. Sherlock shrugged, "I didn't wish for anything. I already have everything I could possibly want." He walked over to John and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him close.

John sang loudly with everyone else, watching as Sherlock blew the candles out in one breath. After listening to the short conversation between Sherlock and his father, he flushed and hugged him back. "You are too sweet, love," he said into his chest.

Sherlock kissed the top of John's head and smiled. "I think this would be a good time to make our announcement, yeah?" He said and looked over at his parents, standing to the side with Mycroft.

John looked up at him in surprise. He didn't think that Sherlock would pick now to unveil the fact that they were engaged. But then he smiled and nodded. "Sure. Would you like to do the honours?"

Sherlock took John's hand and walked over to his family. "Mum, Dad? John and I have something to tell you." Sherlock's parents turned to them and smiled, "what is it, boys?" Mrs. Holmes said, looking back and forth between them. He took a deep breath and squeezed John's hand, "We... have decided that we want to get married. I proposed and John said yes. We're engaged."

Sherlock's mother looked at her husband and laughed, "my! It's about time you told us!" Before Sherlock could say anything, his father raised his hand, "honestly, Sherlock, you underestimate us. It's kind of hard not to notice the ring John's wearing." He nodded towards the boy's left hand.

"Oh... yeah, I guess that kind of gave it away," he chuckled nervously. Mrs. Holmes beamed and hugged both of them, "Oh, we're so happy for you both!" she squealed, "come on, then... Let's see that ring a bit closer, John." Mrs. Holmes smiled and held out her hand.

John laughed a little, relief flooding over him. He had to admit that he was a bit nervous, in spite of the fact that he knew Sherlock's parents were very easy-going. To see them laughing made him feel much better. When Mrs. Holmes pulled away from him he held out his hand and showed her the ring. It was a simple band, but it meant so much to him.

Sherlock's mother took his hand and looked at the ring, smiling back up at him, "simply beautiful," she said softly. Sherlock's father put a hand on his shoulder, "I'd like to have a little talk with you, son. You don't mind if I borrow him for a few minutes, do you John?" Mr. Holmes smiled and put his arm around Sherlock leading him away.

John grinned up at Mr. Holmes. "Not at all, sir. Take your time." He watched them go, wondering idly what Sherlock's father might be saying to him.

"I'm so glad to have you as part of our family now, John. I knew from the moment I saw you that you would become someone very special to my boy," Mrs. Holmes said. Tears came to her eyes as she spoke and she hugged John and kissed him on the cheek before walking away.

John turned to Mrs. Holmes as she hugged him again and truly did feel like one of the family. "Thank you, Mrs. Holmes. I'm very happy to be here." He watched her go and then realised that he was all alone...with Mycroft.

Mycroft stepped up beside John a moment later, "So... you're marrying my brother," he said, his hands clasped behind his back.

Sherlock had warned him about his brother, but John wasn't too worried. He turned with a smile to the elder Holmes and looked up at him. "Yes. Yes, I am."

Mycroft hummed and nodded, "let's see now... Since you've met Sherlock he's been beaten up, shot at and almost died..." He looked at John with a raised eyebrow, a frown on his face. "However... I have to say he has never seemed happier."

John kept his gaze steady as Mycroft listed everything that had happened over the past few weeks. Yes, there was no denying that his presence had caused those things, but it wasn't as if John had wanted those things to happen. All relationships had ups and downs (though probably not the kinds that they'd had) but in the end, the fact that they were still together through all of that proved the strength of their bond.

Mycroft looked John up and down, "you have not fully proven yourself to me yet, John Watson. I will be keeping a very close eye on you both. Do not underestimate me, I have ways of knowing even the most minuscule details. With that said..." he held out his hand for John to shake, "welcome to the Holmes family."

"Watch all you want, Mycroft," John said, taking his hand to shake it. "But I love Sherlock, with all that I am. I won't let him down."

Mycroft nodded firmly and released John's hand. "I want you to know that after tonight, you will no longer have to worry about Irene Adler. She will be out of the way for good." Mycroft smiled and walked away without explaining further.

John quirked an eyebrow at Mycroft, wondering what he meant by 'out of the way', but he supposed that it didn't matter. It was for the better.

Sherlock returned with his father then and they hugged tightly for several moments before Mr. Holmes pulled away and cupped his son's cheek, smiling at him. "I know you love that boy more than your own life, but I want you to remember that you are his life as well. When you marry him, you will become one person. Don't make any big decisions without him and remember that keeping yourself safe is important for his safety, too."

Sherlock nodded and hugged his father again. "I love you, dad," he said softly. "I love you, too son. I'm so proud of you." Mr. Holmes kissed his son on the forehead before sending him back to his fiancé.

John smiled seeing Sherlock and his father hugging and could just hear what he was saying to him. As soon as Sherlock came closer, he wrapped his arms around the other boy's waist and snuggled into his chest. "He's right, you know. You're my everything. I can't live without you anymore."

"Nor I without you," Sherlock said softly and kissed the top of his fiancé's head, embracing him tightly. He pulled away after a while and looked down at John, smiling widely. There was so much he wanted to say to him, but he just couldn't find the proper words to express how incredibly happy and loved he made him feel.

John gazed back at Sherlock, seeing the pure emotion in his bright blue eyes, and his own smile spread over his face. He hoped that Sherlock could tell everything that he was feeling because there was just too much to say. "Shall we have one last dance?" John asked after a few silent moments.

Sherlock nodded, "yes, I think that would be wonderful... wait right here," he smiled and walked over to the dj, whispering something in his ear. The dj nodded and changed the song. A familiar soft tune came over the speakers...

_**Trying to live and love with a heart that can't be broken is like trying to see the light with eyes that can't be opened...**_

Sherlock grinned and held his hand out for John to take and led him out onto the dance floor.

John's cheeks took on a rosy glow as he realised that this was the song playing the first time they made love. He took Sherlock's hand and smiled, moving in close to him when they made it on the floor. He was getting the hang of dancing now, and really enjoying it as well. He rested his head on Sherlock's chest as they swayed to the music.

Sherlock chuckled when he saw John blushing, glad that he remembered the song. He rested his cheek on top of the shorter boy's head and closed his eyes, focusing entirely on this moment and his fiancé held tightly in his arms.

John was so lost in the music and Sherlock he couldn't hear the people watching them and making sounds of delight as they danced. He was surrounded by the perfect of the moment; Sherlock's warm body, his steady breathing and heartbeat, his usual scent along with a hint of some new cologne he must be wearing, the sound of the music which he would now always consider their song...And then suddenly everyone was clapping for them as the song faded away. John opened his eyes and blinked up at Sherlock.

Sherlock smiled down at John and winked before leaning down to press a loving kiss to his lips. He could hear the crowd 'aww'ing' and pulled away with a grin. "See? Absolutely nothing to worry about, love. They adore us," he said and chuckled.

John kissed him back and returned the smile as they pulled away. "Well, we are pretty adorable," he teased, poking Sherlock in the nose. He felt good. In spite of the one bump in the road, this night had turned out nicely.

The two boys stood by the exit door and said their goodbyes and thank you's to everyone as they left and his mother came over to give them one last hug and kiss before sending them off to go back to the house. Sherlock led John towards the limo, arm in arm, just as they had arrived.

He found it hard to keep his hands to himself while they rode, but knew that as soon as he touched his fiancé, he wouldn't be able to control himself, so he sat on his hands and looked out the window, biting his lip and praying that they got home soon.

John was watching Sherlock during the entire ride home with one eyebrow raised and a smirk. He knew what Sherlock was trying to do, so he decided to try to foil that plan. He scooted close on the seat and leaned over so that his lips were right up to his fiancé's ear. "Something wrong, darling?"

Sherlock shivered and shook his head. "N-not at all, love," he said and forced a smile. He didn't move or turn his head because he knew if he did, his self control would shatter completely.

A cheeky grin passed over John's face. It was too easy. "Are you sure?" he asked, feigning innocence. He put a hand on Sherlock's knee and slid it up his thigh, torturously slowly. "You seem a bit...flustered." John's hand stopped right where Sherlock's leg met his hip. He licked his lips and his tongue flicked against his fiancé's ear.

Sherlock inhaled sharply and his control snapped. He turned his face, growling and grabbed onto the back of his fiancé's head, pulling him in and pressing a firm kiss to his lips, prying his mouth open and delving his tongue inside.

John moaned immediately at Sherlock's roughness and threw his arms around the other boy's neck. His mouth fell open obediently and he let Sherlock do with him what he would, tangling one hand into those luscious curls.

Sherlock didn't want to go too far in the back of the limo with the driver just a few feet away, but he did pull John onto his lap. He pulled away from the kiss and decided to give his fiancé some teasing right back. He leaned in to whisper in his ear, "when I get you home, I want you to fuck me in the shower. I've been thinking _**so**_ much about it... I want you to pin me against the wall and feel the water sliding over our bodies as you pound into me."

John let his head fall back as Sherlock's words went straight to his groin. He started to grind against his lover, slowly, only to get a little friction as he was pretty much rock hard at this point. God, they needed to just get home already.

Sherlock moaned and captured John's lips in another fierce kiss. They kept snogging until the limo stopped and Sherlock helped his fiancé off his lap. He pulled him out of the vehicle and ran to the front door, dragging the other boy along behind him. They made their way up the stairs, toeing off their shoes and socks. Sherlock almost tripped in his hurry to get to the bathroom.

John followed Sherlock, working hard to keep up with his long strides. When they finally made it to the bathroom, John shut the door behind them and pushed Sherlock against it, trapping him. He started biting down Sherlock's neck as his hands worked Sherlock's shirt open. They slid up from his stomach, over his chest to his shoulders, where he pushed both the shirt and jacket off to the floor.

Sherlock groaned and started fumbling with John's shirt. He finally got it off and started running his hands along his fiancé's back, pulling him closer to bring their bare chests together.

John pressed into Sherlock as close as he could, slipping one of his legs between Sherlock's. He started to suck a mark onto his neck as he moved his leg to rub against Sherlock's crotch.

Sherlock moaned and pushed John away, following him back and crashing their lips together. He started working on the other boy's trousers and managed to get them undone and off in record time. He pulled his pants off as well and turned to start the water running.

John groaned as Sherlock's hands passed over his aching arousal. As soon as Sherlock had turned around, he pressed in behind him, wrapping his arms around the other boy's waist to undo his trousers. He slid them down his legs with teasing slowness, followed by his pants, until they were both stark naked.

Sherlock jumped into the shower and pulled John in after him, pressing him flush against his own body, water cascading down on both of them. "God... I want you inside me," he breathed and attacked his fiancé's mouth with fervour.

John had Sherlock pinned to the wall and ground into him as they kissed. He already was trailing a hand down towards Sherlock's arse, the water of the shower making for an easy lubricant. His fingers trailed into the cleft of his arse, teasing him open.

Sherlock rolled his hips back, trying to get John's fingers inside of him. He whimpered into the kiss and reached down to tug at his fiancé's cock once before letting go, trying to tease him.

John growled and shoved his fingers inside of Sherlock, scissoring them. He pulled back from the kiss to bite Sherlock's neck again. "I can tell you're going to be tight. You always feel so good." He curled the digits, searching for Sherlock's prostate.

Sherlock cried out and threw his head back to give John more access to the skin of his neck. He moaned and clutched at the other boy's back, pushing himself further onto his fingers. "John... _**Christ**_, I need you," he breathed and continued to rock his hips.

John pulled his fingers out and flipped Sherlock around, pressing him against the wall. He ground his cock against his fiancé's arse and then moved himself inside. "Oh, _**fuck**_..." he gasped out as he felt Sherlock's tightness around him, feeling his inner walls. The friction was unbelievable and he had to force himself to keep still for Sherlock's sake.

Sherlock whimpered at the feeling of John inside of him. He was right, without the condom it felt _so_ much better. He pushed his hips back, bending over and grabbing onto the rail in the shower, his knuckles turning white with how hard he was gripping.

John started to rock his hips, wrapping an arm around Sherlock to grab his cock and stroke him. "I..was right," he breathed out, voice husky. "You are so fucking tight." He groaned and his head fell back, started to go harder.

Sherlock moaned and gripped onto the rail tighter, "and y-you're so big, I... ohhh, I love how you feel inside me," he panted. "Ohhhh, _**fuck**_... John!" He pushed back against him with every thrust, rolling his hips in a steady rhythm.

John twisted his hand on Sherlock as he started to pound harder into him. "You... Fuck, you are incredible." He started biting Sherlock's pale shoulder, leaving small marks everywhere his teeth went.

Sherlock whimpered and hissed in pleasure as he felt John's teeth sink into him. "Oh... _**shit**_, John... keep talking to me. I-I want to hear you," he moaned and closed his eyes, hips still rocking.

John pulled his mouth from Sherlock's skin and moved it close to his ear. "I could have fucked you the first time we were in your bed together," he breathed. "You're-ah!...So sexy, it was all I could do to stop myself." He slapped Sherlock's backside and thrust harder. "Oh, fuck...You're mine, Sherlock. No one gets to have you like this but me."

"Fuck, yes... 'm yours, John. Only yours... _**always**_ yours." Sherlock moaned loudly and reached back to grab onto what part of John he could reach, digging his nails in. "I... I want so badly to be the best you've ever had," he gasped.

John nipped Sherlock's ear lobe and tugged. "You are. No one could ever pleasure me like you do." He squeezed Sherlock's cock and started moving at an erratic pace. "Fuck...I'm getting close..." he warned, trying to angle to Sherlock's sweet spot before he came.

Sherlock cried out in pleasure as John finally reached the angle he was looking for. He jerked his hips back to get him to hit the spot again and again as he drew closer to his orgasm. After a few thrusts, Sherlock came hard, his arse clenching around his lover's cock as he spurted come all along the shower wall. "Fuck! J-John!" He shouted with his release.

John stroked Sherlock through his climax as his own approached. The feeling of Sherlock tightening around him and the sounds and movements as he came finally brought his own release, crying out his fiancé's name. He poured out deep inside of Sherlock, the rest of his body trembling with the force of the orgasm.

Sherlock shivered as he felt his lover coming deep inside of him. After he was finished he maneuvered them both to the floor of the shower, John's back to the wall and Sherlock settled between his legs. "_**Christ**_... that was..." Sherlock couldn't even describe it, there were no words and he just sighed happily, leaning back and resting his head on his fiancé's shoulder.

John was still partially inside of Sherlock as they slid down the opposite wall and he wrapped his arms around the other boy. He was still breathing heavily but managed a few kisses to the side of his fiancé's face. "Yes," he said softly. "I love you, so much." He held Sherlock close, relishing in their post-orgasm bliss.

Sherlock turned his face to give John a slow, languid kiss. "I love you, too," he said softly against his fiancé's lips, then gave him another kiss. He pushed himself forward, effectively separating them. Then he stood and held his hand out to help John up, "we should wash off," he said and smiled down at him.

John smiled up at Sherlock and took his hand to stand. "Well, this is convenient since we're in the shower already," he said with a light laugh. He lifted his hand toward the spray, rinsing off Sherlock's cum where it had splattered on him.

Sherlock chuckled, "yes, we should do this more often... makes clean up easier," he reached forward and wrapped his arms around John, kissing the side of his neck and holding him close. "Thank you... this was the best birthday I've ever had," he murmured and smiled.

John returned the embrace, closing his eyes in content. "You're very welcome. You deserved it." He pulled away to finish rinsing and then shut the water, stepping out to get towels. He wrapped one around Sherlock and took one for himself.

Sherlock dried himself off and took John's hand when they were both dry. He led them back to his bedroom and arranged them on the bed so that they were facing each other, legs tangled loosely. He sighed and reached out to run his fingers through his lover's hair. "My father told me something earlier tonight... It concerns both of us, but I told him that I wanted to be the one to tell you," he murmured, brow furrowed in concentration.

John happily snuggled with Sherlock, gazing into his face as they lay together. He tilted his head a little seeing in his face that whatever Sherlock was about to tell him was serious. "Alright. What is it?" he asked. He tried not to worry or anything, because he didn't know yet whether this was good or bad news.

Sherlock sighed, "Sebastian Moran's trial is coming up soon... the lawyer that's representing us says we have to testify." He frowned and stroked the back of his fingers down John's cheek before moving both his hands behind him and clasping them together around his waist. "My father said he could try to find a way around it, but..." Sherlock shook his head, "the lawyer said it would really help our case if we were able to take the stand."

John looked down, eyes automatically going to the healing wound in Sherlock's side. "I want to do it," he said firmly, looking back up. "Anything to get him behind bars. Even though I don't think that's nearly enough to pay for what he did, it will have to do." He searched Sherlock's face to try to see how he was feeling about this. "If you want I can do it for both of us," he continued, more gently. "Whatever you want. But I am definitely willing to testify."

Sherlock frowned and focused on the spot above John's ear, "I just don't know if I'm ready to relive that day... they'll be asking us about every detail. Every single one. Even the other encounters with him. Dad said..." Sherlock swallowed, "if I testify, they may ask me about how it all started... even before I met you."

John smoothed his hands over Sherlock's back, trying to keep him calm. "It's alright, love. I'm sure if at least one of us testifies that will be more than enough to get him a sentence." He moved closer to kiss Sherlock tenderly. Sherlock had already told him that the memories of Sebastian's earlier bullying had been enough to put him on drugs. John didn't want Sherlock to force himself to think about those times again and possibly have a relapse.

Sherlock nodded, "I hope you're right," he murmured and kissed John again. He really hoped he didn't have to testify, but he knew that if that's what it came to, he would do it. Right now, getting Sebastian behind bars was the one thing that would keep them both safe. "The trial is in two weeks, dad said the lawyer would be coming over one afternoon after school to do a mock trial with us... prepare us for the questions they might ask."

"Right..." John sighed a little. This was going to be rough for both of them, but he knew that it would be worth it in the end. He kept one hand moving on Sherlock's back, the other coming up to caress his face. "We'll be alright. I know it," he said softly.

Sherlock quirked a smile, "In better news... You get to spend the weekend with me and I'll be back to school with you on Monday." He hugged his fiancé tighter and kissed his temple. "I can't even tell you how excited I am to be back studying instead of being cooped up in my bedroom being so incredibly /bored/."

John grinned back, happy at the prospect of Sherlock finally going back to school with him. "Yes, and then maybe our crazy classmates will stop thinking that I killed you or something." It would be very nice to get rid of the various stares and whispers of his peers and show them that Sherlock was alive and well.

Sherlock smiled sadly, "Yes, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. If it was up to me, I would have been right there with you on your first day back." He sighed and pulled John closer, burying his face in the other boy's neck. "Mmm... you smell so good," he mumbled sleepily.

"It's alright. You needed to rest up. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself for me." John giggled a little when he felt Sherlock sniffing him. "I probably smell like sweat and sex," he said.

Sherlock raised his head and smiled at John, "like I said... You smell good." He leaned down and started placing soft kisses to every ticklish spot he could remember on his fiancé's neck, speaking in between kisses. "I... Love... You... More... Than... Anything."

John squirmed and laughed under Sherlock's kisses. "Hey, c-cut it out!" He grabbed Sherlock's face and pulled him up for a long, slow kiss. "I love you more than that," he whispered against his lips.

"Mmm, not possible," Sherlock said and grinned. He snuggled further into his fiancé and quickly drifted off, waiting for morning to come.


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: Well, It's been a really long time since I've updated this fic. And I apologize profusely for that! Due to some personal issues on my end, I haven't had the time to post. But now, things are much better and from now on I will be able to post 3 times a week! Yay! xD So... now we bring you the next chapter of our fic! Keep those reviews coming, SailorStar and I love you all! ^_^

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The weekend went by faster than either boy wanted it to and on Sunday evening Sherlock was in a chair in the sitting room, burying his face in his hands as his mother pulled out old photo albums and showed John pictures of Sherlock and Mycroft growing up.

John really liked spending time with the Holmeses. They were really like a family. Not that he didn't feel like that with his father, but it was different. They were a little more of a broken family, if anything. With Sherlock and his family, he felt like part of a whole.

He couldn't help laughing at Sherlock's childhood pictures and he rubbed his fiancé's back good-naturedly. "Come on, Sherlock, you were adorable. Look at that cute little mop of curls."

Sherlock's mother laughed, "Oh yes... Very adorable, but so hard to manage! Every time I tried to comb them out, Sherlock would start crying. He had a bit of a sensitive scalp, you see..." Sherlock lifted his face, his cheeks burning red, "Mum... That's enough," he mumbled and frowned.

Mrs. Holmes chuckled under her breath, "all right, I think I've done enough damage for now. Dinner will be ready in an hour boys, be sure to wash up." She patted John on the back and leaned down to kiss the top of Sherlock's head as she walked away. "Such good boys," she murmured and smiled.

John ruffled Sherlock's hair with a grin. "Aw, my sensitive Sherlock," he said through a laugh. As Mrs. Holmes left, he grinned up at her. "I really love your mum," he said to Sherlock when she was gone. "She's so sweet."

Sherlock blushed deeper when John ruffled his hair, but leaned into the touch. Having a sensitive scalp wasn't all bad, after all. "Ah, yes... Mum has always been very affectionate. Dad not so much and Mycroft... well, let's just say the most contact I've had with him is a handshake." He sighed and leaned his head on John's shoulder, "rub my head again?" he asked and smiled sweetly up at him.

John chuckled a little, kissing Sherlock's forehead. "You're still adorable, you know." He stroked Sherlock's head gently. "I don't know how attractive I am now, but I must have been an ugly baby. I can't find one picture of Mum holding me..." He looked off across the room, still absently petting Sherlock.

Sherlock frowned and moved to kneel in front of his fiancé, putting his hands on his knees and looking him straight in the eye. "Hey... I think that you are _**the**_ most handsome, adorable, sweet and..." he slid his hand up John's thigh, "the most _**sexy**_... man that I have ever met. So don't you go feeling all down about yourself, okay?" He smiled and leaned forward, kissing him lightly. "I love you."

John smiled a little and kissed him back. "I love you, too, Sherlock. And I know you mean well, but..." He sighed, unsure how to put it. "It's just not the same. I don't know what I did wrong. Mum just...left. Even if she was upset about Harry, why wouldn't she stay for me? Not that she'd be happy now that we're together, but still..."

Sherlock's brow furrowed and he grabbed John's face in both of his hands, "Now listen here, John Watson. You did absolutely nothing wrong and it is _**not**_ your fault that your mother left. That was her choice and there is nothing you could have done to stop her. You have a wonderful father who loves you and cares about you and you have me and my family too. The fact she couldn't accept your sister for who she is... Well, it's not right. But don't you go blaming yourself for any of it."

He leaned forward once he was finished and pressed a firm kiss to his fiancé's lips. "Now cheer up or I'll be forced to tickle you relentlessly." Sherlock smiled and poked John's nose.

As Sherlock spoke John couldn't help but smile. He always knew just what to say. When he was finished he hugged Sherlock tightly. "Thank you." He pressed his face into his fiancé's neck. "But please don't tickle me."

Sherlock smirked, "hmm... But I'm not sure you're cheered up yet." He reached down and tickled John's sides, chuckling, "Cheered up yet? Are you happy now? Hmmm?" He grinned as he tickled him, following him back onto the sofa when he tried to get away.

John laughed and squirmed, momentarily escaping only to be attacked again. "I-I am!" he cried between laughs. "I'm ha-ha-happy, see?"

Sherlock straddled his fiancé's hips, laughing along with him. After a couple more minutes, he leaned down and kissed him, prying his mouth open with his tongue. Soon the tickling became stroking as he slid his hands along John's sides with agonising slowness.

John let his mouth fall open and stroked his tongue along Sherlock's. He wrapped his arms around Sherlock's waist so that he could clutch the other boy's arse and pull him in.

Sherlock moaned into the kiss and started rocking his hips. He pulled away with a gasp and breathed heavily against his fiancé's mouth. "If I knew no one would walk in on us... I would take you right here on the sofa," he murmured huskily.

John whined when Sherlock pulled away and nipped at his bottom lip. "One day when we're completely alone..." He moved to grab Sherlock's ear lobe in his teeth. "I want you to fuck me so hard on this couch that I can't see straight."

"I can promise you that," Sherlock whispered and kissed John again firmly before collapsing fully on top of him and groaning. "God... I wish we had our own place. Then I could have sex with you anytime and anywhere I wanted to."

John hummed, stroking Sherlock's head again. "Well, once we're out of school. We can get a nice little flat together. Just you and I." He kissed the tip of Sherlock's nose. "Would you want to live in a flat, though? I know you're accostomed to more...upscale living."

Sherlock shrugged, "I always thought this house was _**way**_ too big. I think it would be nice to have a cozy little flat somewhere." He lifted his head to kiss John on the cheek, "especially if you're living there with me."

He rested his head on his fiancé's shoulder, "can you imagine it? We'll share a bedroom, stay up all night making love and being as loud as we want. Wake up in the morning and have breakfast in bed together..." he smiled and sighed, picturing it all in his head.

John could see it as well, and the thought warmed his heart. "The perfect future. I can't imagine how else I could live."

Sherlock smiled, they lay there talking about their future until it was time for dinner. After they ate, Sherlock led his fiancé up to the bedroom and stopped in the middle, pulling John into his arms and leaning down to give him a long, passionate kiss. He pulled away slightly, eyes still closed. "John... I want to try something with you," he whispered against the shorter boy's lips.

John was sad that this would be his last night with Sherlock for the week, but he knew that Sherlock would certainly have something planned for that night. And he wasn't disappointed when his fiancé pulled him in once they were back in his room. He licked his lips, looking up at him with a smirk. "Anything you want, love. I'm game."

Sherlock smiled and kissed John on the lips before moving along the side of his jaw with tender kisses. He peppered his face and moved his lips down to the other boy's neck, nipping the skin lightly. His hands reached to the bottom of his fiancé's jumper, pulling it up and off.

John made soft, pleased sounds with every touch of Sherlock's lips. The attention left him nearly shivering with the sweet sensations, and his hands came up to rest in Sherlock's hair. He let Sherlock shower him in kisses, very much pleased with what his lover had decided to try.

Sherlock scooped John up in his arms and carried him over to the bed, laying him down gently. He straddled his lover's hips and took his own shirt off. Then he leaned down and started placing kisses on his fiancé's torso again.

He hummed in content, inhaling deeply. Sherlock just loved the way that John tasted and the way he responded when he kissed a particularly sensitive spot.

John let Sherlock carry him, glad to be on the bed because he didn't know how much longer he could last without getting weak in the knees. He arched up towards Sherlock's lips, moaning out his name as he hit a spot that sent electric shocks downwards.

Sherlock made his way down his lover's torso, kissing and nipping the skin until he made it to his trousers. He rested his hands on John's knees and unbuttoned and unzipped the trousers with his teeth, making sure John was watching him the whole time.

John's eyes widened as he watched Sherlock's skilled mouth undo his trousers. "Oh, fuck..." He pushed his hips up, that last display of talent making him fully hard in an instant. "Please, Sherlock..."

Sherlock smirked, but had pity on John and removed his trousers and pants. After tossing them on the floor, he came back and kissed both of his lover's hipbones before kissing all over his thighs.

Finally, he brought his mouth to his fiancé's cock, hovering over it and licking his lips before sucking just the head in his mouth. He swirled his tongue around it and listened to John's reactions.

John let out a relaxed groan as he was freed from the rest of his clothes, but soon returned to little whines and whimpers when Sherlock wouldn't touch his aching erection. He writhed at the lack of friction, trying to catch Sherlock's lips at least once.

When he did finally put his mouth around him, John bucked up, but only the tip stayed in. He moaned loudly, hand gripping Sherlock's hair. "Ohhh, more, please..."

Sherlock eased John's erection into his mouth, savouring every moment and every sound coming from his lover. He then started bobbing his head in a slow and steady rhythm, keeping things calm and loving.

John continued to moan and rock his hips up as Sherlock slowly took him all the way in. He liked the gentleness of tonight, even though he enjoyed being rough as well. But sometimes it was nice to truly show love over lust.

Sherlock reached down and undid his own trousers and pants as he worked, managing to kick them off and he released his fiancé's cock, kissing his way back up his torso until he planted one final kiss on his mouth, instantly delving his tongue inside.

John massaged Sherlock's scalp as he bobbed his head, letting out a sound of discontent when Sherlock pulled off. As the other boy came up to kiss him, he ground upwards towards his hips, letting their cocks rub together.

Sherlock pulled away from his lover's lips after a few moments and turned him over onto his stomach, running his hands over his back and cupping his arse. He laid himself on top of John, rubbing his erection between his arse cheeks as he kissed the back of his neck. He made his way down, kissing each vertebrae as he went.

John groaned in frustration, the teasing of his fiancé's cock driving him wild. He fisted his hands into the sheets, knuckles white as he pushed his whole body up towards Sherlock to try to get more. "Sherlock...please..." he begged, though he didn't know for what.

Sherlock placed a hand on the small of his fiancé's back, pushing in back down onto the bed, "shhh, just be patient. It'll be worth it, I promise," he whispered and bent down, kissing the spot right above his lover's arse. He took both hands and spread them over each arse cheek, massaging them deeply.

John moaned and let Sherlock keep going, having a feeling he knew what was coming. And the prospect of it only made him more anxious for it. But he stayed patient, relaxing under the soothing touch of his lover's skilled hands. "Bloody violinist," he muttered with a smirk.

Sherlock chuckled deeply and continued to massage for a few minutes. After his lover was relaxed enough, he spread his arse cheeks, revealing his puckered entrance. He swallowed hard, his heart pounding in excitement for what he was about to do. Leaning forward slowly, he kept John's arse spread and he slipped his tongue out of his mouth, lightly grazing his entrance.

"Oh...oh, God!" John groaned and bit into one of Sherlock's pillows. Sherlock's tongue was barely touching him and already he could feel how warm and wet it was. He couldn't help himself, and lifted his hips enough to wrap a hand around his cock, stroking slowly.

Sherlock hummed and pressed his tongue more firmly against the puckered muscle. He slid his tongue across it a couple more times before stiffening his tongue and poking just the tip inside.

John's whole body was shaking at the feeling, and he squeezed himself a little harder. It felt smooth with the slickness of his saliva, yet the top was rough as it scraped against the rim of his entrance. "Fuck, _**yes**_... Sherlock..." This was certainly never something he would have thought could be so amazing, but it was. It _**really**_ was.

Sherlock closed his eyes and focused on the sounds that John was making. He slowly stuck his tongue in deeper, curling it to scrape across his inner walls. Sherlock himself was enjoying this, loving the feel of it and how much it was pleasuring his lover.

John thought he might rip the pillow open with his teeth, he was biting so hard. He moaned loudly, the sound bubbling from deep inside, and pushed as far back as he could. For a moment, he thought he might be able to climax just from this.

After several moments, Sherlock pulled away. He placed a final kiss to his lover's entrance and slipped a finger inside of him, the wetness from his tongue making it slide in easily.

John whined as Sherlock's tongue left, but moaned again when his long finger slipped in its place. God, Sherlock knew just what to do to drive him crazy.

Sherlock leaned up to press a kiss on the back of John's neck, "you are so amazing, I love you so much," he whispered and slipped a second finger inside of his lover. He began scissoring them as he nipped at the other boy's earlobe, breathing heavily against it.

"Ohhh, Sherlock..." John bent himself as best as he could to try to make himself more open for his lover. "I love you, too. You're-ah...everything." He tried to prop himself on his knees more so he could more easily stroke himself.

Sherlock groaned and removed his fingers. He kissed the back of John's neck again as he reached for the lube. Then he coated his erection in it and guided himself to his lover's entrance. He moaned loudly at the sensation and braced once hand next to John's hip, his other one next to his head.

John threw his head back and pushed towards Sherlock as he entered him. "God, yes!" He moaned and tugged on his own cock as he waited for Sherlock to move. His free hand landed on top of Sherlock's, fingers moving between the spaces and holding tightly.

Sherlock gripped John's hand and started to move in and out of his body. He leaned down to whisper in his fiancé's ear. "Have I ever told you... how perfect you are? Just so... handsome and kind and your body..." his breath hitched as he moved in deeper, "_**God**_ your body feels fantastic." Sherlock rested his forehead on his lover's shoulder blade as he kept a slow and steady rhythm, adjusting his hips and trying to find his prostate.

John whimpered softly as Sherlock spoke to him. "I-I'm nothing compared to you," he said. "Oh, fuck...You're fantastic. Brilliant, _**gorgeous**_..." He let out another moan, more choked than before around his laboured breathing. "I'm lucky...that I found you before anyone else did..." John cried out softly and his hips jerked hard.

"John..." Sherlock whispered and bit his lip as he kept moving, "I wouldn't be nearly as great without you. I... I probably wouldn't even- _**ah!**_- be here if it weren't for you." He let out a loud moan and kissed his lover's shoulder softly.

John let out another cry which morphed into a moan and he started pumping his hand faster on himself. "Th-Then I'm very lucky that I found you..._**Shit**_..." He was nearing the edge, the heat bubbling in the pit of his stomach. "Just a little more..._**please**_, Sherlock..."

Sherlock grasped onto John's hips, pulling him up into a kneeling position as he increased the rate of his thrusts. "Ohhhh, yes, love. Come for me... Let me hear you. _**Christ**_, I love you so much." He moaned loudly and threw his head back, pounding into his lover and gripping his hips so hard he was sure to leave marks.

John pushed back to meet Sherlock, wanting him as deep as possible. He moved himself, finding the perfect angle to get his prostate with every thrust and cried out. "Oh...Ohhh, fuck yes, _**Sherlock**_!" With one last hit on his sweet spot, John was coming, spilling out all over his hand and the sheets beneath him.

Just the sound of his lover's voice crying out brought Sherlock to his own orgasm. He released deep inside of John, hips jerking forward with each spurt of cum. "Fuck... _**John**_," he groaned and collapsed on top of his fiancé, pushing him down onto the bed.

Once he was able to get his breathing calm, he rolled off of his lover and just laid there on his back, staring at the ceiling. "I swear... sex with you just keeps getting better," he breathed and chuckled.

John gasped as he felt Sherlock's heat filling him. He couldn't hold himself up any longer and his arms spread out to either side as Sherlock came down on him. He very well could have fallen asleep just like that, but then Sherlock moved off of him and he was cold. He forced himself to roll over and scooted towards his lover. "I agree. If we keep going like this, in a few years we'll wind up waking the whole street when we do this."

Sherlock hummed sleepily and pulled John into his arms. He kissed him once and pulled away smiling. "As much as I enjoyed that... I think my favourite position is when I'm facing you. I get to kiss you more," he brushed a few stray hairs from John's forehead and kissed him softly again.

John snuggled in, quite comfortable with his head pillowed on Sherlock's shoulder. "Yes, I do like when I get to kiss you. It makes it more romantic." He put an arm over Sherlock's waist, pulling his lower body closer so he could tangle their legs together.

Sherlock gave John a kiss on his forehead and reached up to run his fingers through his fiancé's hair. "Back to school tomorrow... Together." He smiled at the thought, he would be able to keep anyone from saying bad things about his fiancé and prove that all the rumours were wrong.

John grinned, closing his eyes. "Yes. Together." He yawned softly and burrowed into Sherlock. Tomorrow would be a good day, he could feel it. Slowly he began to drift off, mumbling a soft, "G'night, Sherlock," before he finally fell asleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Note: Here's the next chapter everyone! Took a while, but it's here at last. Lots more to come, so keep those reviews coming.

* * *

Sherlock fell asleep with his cheek resting on his fiance's head and a smile on his face. The next morning he woke John gently with soft kisses all over his face before planting one on his lips. "Wake up, beautiful... It's time to get ready for school," he murmured softly.

John slept happily through the night and woke the next morning to the gentle caresses of Sherlock's lips. He smiled and kissed him back lazily when they finally landed on his lips, only to groan at the prospect of going to school. "Do we have to? I'm happy right here," he said, snuggling into Sherlock further.

Sherlock chuckled, "yes, we do. I plan on tutoring you to help your grades so you have a better chance of getting into Uni. Besides, I get to go back with you today, remember?" He kissed John on the forehead and jumped out of bed. Then he grabbed the bottom of the comforter that was covering him and yanked it off. "Get up!"

John whined as the sudden cold hit him. "Bloody git. Fine, I'll get up." He rolled off the bed and stretched before smacking Sherlock's bare arse. "Too bad we don't have extra time. Taking a shower without getting turned on is going to be difficult." He walked into the bathroom and turned the water on.

Sherlock inhaled sharply as John's hand slapped his rear. He smirked and followed his fiancé into the bathroom, slipping into the shower with him. "Mmm, I'd say we have enough time for a little fun," he murmured and turned John towards him. He grabbed his lover's hand and placed it on his slightly hardened cock. Then he reached out to grasp onto John's length and began to stroke it.

John hummed and tightened his grip on Sherlock, stroking upward. "Ohhh, you know just how to get me started." He wrapped his free arm around Sherlock's waist, slipping his fingers into the cleft of Sherlock's arse. "And I know how to make it even more interesting."

Sherlock gasped and pulled John closer, reaching his free hand back behind his lover. He leaned down to lock their lips together in a wet kiss. His tongue reached out for John's and stroked against it as he slid his fingers up and down the other boy's crack teasingly.

John groaned into the kiss, nibbling at his lower lip and sucking on Sherlock's tongue as it invaded his mouth. He pulled Sherlock's hand off of his cock and let go of his lover's so that they could grind together. This left both his hands free to reach behind Sherlock and peel his cheeks apart, teasing at his entrance with a few fingers.

Sherlock moaned against his lover's lips and took one arse cheek in each hand, pulling him into a steady rocking rhythm. "_**John**_..." he groaned against the other boy's lips before capturing them in another heated kiss.

John kissed him back, letting Sherlock keep his movements going while he focused on what he was doing to his backside. He finally slipped a finger in, thrusting slowly in time with their moving hips. His other fingers teased around the rim of his entrance, and then he slipped in a second finger.

Sherlock continued to rut desperately against his lover and whimpered into the kiss. He reached back and slid one of his own fingers into his fiance's arse and thrust it in and out at the same pace of his hips.

John moaned and kissed Sherlock harder, using a mix of teeth and tongue to try pleasure his mouth as well as the rest of him. He curled his fingers and twisted them, searching for Sherlock's prostate, while his other fingers circled outside. He pulled away from the kiss to breathe, only to move to Sherlock's neck seconds later and start sucking hard.

"Oh God, _**John**_," Sherlock moaned and leaned his head back. He slipped in another finger and by memory alone, pressed both fingers against his lover's prostate. He continued to roll his hips against the other boy's, getting closer and closer to release.

John cried out, pushing his fingers into Sherlock further as a response to the hit on his prostate. He ground into Sherlock faster, moving to rest his forehead on Sherlock's shoulder as his body started to shake. "So...so close, fuck..."

"_**Fuck**_... so am I," Sherlock moaned out as John's fingers pushed against his prostate. He groaned and rocked his hips harder, starting to vibrate his fingers against his lover's prostate. "Oh... Ohhh, John!" He cried out and his hips started jerking sporadically through his release, spilling across both of their abdomens.

John's breath hitched and then he was crying out as he felt both Sherlock coming against him and his fingers inside. He too orgasmed, pleasure rushing through him as their cum mixed together between them. Body still shaking, John slumped forward, pushing Sherlock back until he was against the wall and stayed there, trying to catch his breath.

Sherlock wrapped his arms around his lover and laid a kiss in his wet hair. He held him for a few moments before maneuvering them both under the shower spray and grabbed a rag, soaping it up to start washing his fiancé off.

John let Sherlock clean him for a moment, then grabbed the shampoo bottle and poured some in his hand. He lathered it up and scrubbed Sherlock's head, turning his dark curls white. "You are amazing, you know," John murmured, kissing Sherlock's ear as he washed his hair.

Sherlock smiled and bent down a little so John could reach better. "You keep saying that... But I really can't see how." He closed his eyes as his lover massaged the shampoo into his scalp.

John rolled his eyes. "Please. You're gorgeous, brilliant, sweet and loving. I don't even think amazing covers it, but it's all I've got." He finished shampooing Sherlock and tipped his head back to rinse. "You just told me yesterday not to be down on myself, so don't you get down on yourself. You're the most incredible person I know."

Sherlock beamed at John and after he was done getting his hair rinsed he leaned down and gave his fiancé a heartfelt kiss. "Thank you, love. That means a lot coming from someone as wonderful as you."

John grinned and returned the kiss. "You're quite welcome." He went to get some more shampoo, quickly lathering and rinsing. Once he was done, he turned back to Sherlock with a smile. "Ready?"

Sherlock smiled, "sure am." He held the shower curtain back and held out his hand, "after you, dear," he said cheekily and winked.

John giggled and stepped out. "Why thank you, darling." He went to the towel rack and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around himself.

Sherlock stepped out of the shower and grabbed the other towel from the rack. "Are you going home after school today?" He asked as he began to dry himself off.

John shrugged. "Probably. I haven't seen Da since Friday." He dried himself and then wrapped the towel around his waist. "You're stealing my away from my family," he teased.

Sherlock smirked, "and you're hiding the _**rest**_ of your family from me... Or maybe you're just hiding me from your sister, who knows." He shrugged and wrapped his own towel around his waist, walking towards the bathroom door.

John frowned a little. "I'm not hiding her. She... she just never came up," He said hesitantly and followed Sherlock back to his room and started to get dressed. "I could tell you about her if you really want to know."

"Relax... I was just teasing you, love." Sherlock smiled and bent down to kiss John on the cheek as he pulled his pants on. "We don't have to talk about her if you don't want to."

John didn't know if he wanted to. At least not at the moment. "I _**do**_ want to tell you but, I don't think now is the time. I'll get all worked up and we still have to go to school."

Sherlock nodded, "okay, take as long as you want. No rush, yeah?" He finished getting dressed and once they were both ready, he took John's hand and laced their fingers together. Smiling, he lifted them to kiss the back of his fiance's hand and walked downstairs with him to the car where Mycroft was waiting.

John smiled and squeezed Sherlock's hand. He was so lucky to have such a wonderful person as Sherlock, to love and be loved by him. He followed the other boy downstairs and they got into the car together, starting off for school.

Mycroft looked at both boys in the rear view. "All I ask of you both is please no snogging in my car, contain those teenage hormones."

Sherlock rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Unlike you, Mycroft, we know the meaning of privacy. There will be no snogging in public, we save that for when we are alone." He looked over at John and smirked.

Mycroft cleared his throat, "very well then, off we go." He pulled out of the driveway and towards the school.

John flushed a little, as snogging in the car reminded him of their escapade in the limo at Sherlock's birthday party. He quickly shook his head, not wanting to dwell on it and then have an awkward erection to deal with. He leaned into Sherlock's side and closed his eyes.

Sherlock chuckled and rested his cheek on top of John's head, almost falling asleep on the ride to school. When they arrived, Sherlock kissed John on the top of the head and kept their hands linked as they exited the car.

He led them through the front door, not expecting the welcome that they received. As soon as they started down the hall, the entire school broke out into applause. Sherlock almost felt tears come to his eyes and he smiled, gripping tighter to his fiance's hand.

John had been nervous to go inside, he had to admit. But of all the things he thought might happen, he never expected the response they got. He smiled wide and looked up at Sherlock, seeing his eyes shining with the beginnings of tears. And it only made him all the happier. Sherlock deserved this, after everything he'd been through before they had met. Finally, he wouldn't feel like no one cared.

Mary approached them as they made their way to class and smiled sadly. "John... I wanted to apologise. To both of you actually, but especially you. I'm sorry for what I did and what I've been saying since... I had no idea that Seb was capable of something so... horrid." Tears came to her eyes as she spoke and she wiped them away with her sleeve.

John couldn't help but smile in return, the sincerity touching. "It's alright. In a way, it kind of helped us to finally admit that we loved each other." He glanced at Sherlock with a grin. "But if you want, you could try to keep an ear open for anything else, maybe kill the rest of those rumours if anyone still believes them."

Mary nodded, "yes, of course." She walked away, but turned back with a smile. "Just so you know, you two are officially the hottest couple at school now." She winked and turned away, walking back down the hall.

Sherlock chuckled and looked at John, "took them long enough to realise it, yeah?" He said and winked at his fiancé, leaning down to peck him on the cheek. He walked John to his first class and walked away towards his own.

John blushed a little and scratched the back of his neck. That was something he was going to have to get used to. He grinned as Sherlock kissed him, and gave him one back before stepping into his first class of the day.

Sherlock spent his morning catching up in each class. He was able to finish all the work he'd been assigned while absent as well as the current assignments all before lunch. He sat down in the cafe and waited for John to get there, not bothering to grab any food but an apple because he knew his fiancé would fuss if he just didn't eat.

John got quite a few smiles and pats on the back during his first classes. A few people even expressed jealousy that the two of them were off the market. He just smiled back and tried to act nonchalant. The attention was very different, but not entirely unwelcome.

By lunch he was pretty hungry and he grabbed a tray, sitting down with Sherlock when he found him. "You really need to eat more than that," he said at the sight of the apple. "Have some chips at least, they made them pretty well today." He passed his tray halfway to Sherlock. "How was class?"

Sherlock sighed, but relented and picked up a chip and took a bite. He shrugged, "nothing special... I managed to make up all my work," he said and smiled, "now... I was serious when I said I'd tutor you in any classes you're having trouble with. I want to make sure you have the best chance of getting into Uni, I can't bear letting you go off fighting in some war." He frowned at the thought of it, of living without John by his side or even just a car ride away like he was now.

John grinned when he saw Sherlock eating. He started to eat the rest of his lunch and thought about the subjects he struggled in. "Well, I'm pretty good at history and English. It's math and stuff that gives me trouble. Ever since we stopped doing algebra it's like a different language or something." Part of him felt a little silly, though, that he needed tutoring in the first place. Sherlock was so brilliant and he was just average.

Sherlock smiled reassuringly and patted John's hand, "well... we will get started right away." Sherlock spent the rest of the day helping John as much as he could on labs and their class assignments. Their last class was Chemistry and Sherlock stood behind his fiancé, hand wrapped around the other boy's as he held a beaker full of water over a Bunsen burner.

"So.. the trick is to keep rotating it, that way you heat up the entire surface." Sherlock guided John's hand in circles over the flame. "See?" he said softly next to his fiance's ear, eyes fixed on the beaker.

John blushed a little, though whether it was the heat of the burner or Sherlock's closeness, he didn't know. But he was grateful for the help, because Sherlock didn't just give him the answers. He made him understand, and that in turn made it easier to understand other things. "You're quite the teacher, Mr. Holmes," he said, glancing back at Sherlock with a smirk.

Sherlock chuckled, "that's only because I have such a great student. This wouldn't be nearly as easy if you weren't so good." He smiled and continued to rotate the beaker. After a few moments, he leaned down to whisper in John's ear. "Now... there are a lot of other things I could teach you that aren't at all appropriate in a classroom setting," he said with a smirk and nipped at John's earlobe.

John shivered at Sherlock's voice in his ear but he tried to keep cool. "Watch it, Sherlock, or I might just drag you to a broom cupboard and pin you to the wall." He rolled his hips back subtly, so that if anyone saw it they would think he was just shifting his position.

Sherlock gasped and let go of the beaker, sending it crashing to the table. He cleared his throat, "sorry... Mrs. Hooper, my fault. Hands are a little shaky today." He glared playfully at his fiancé and went to grab some towels to clean up the mess. "At least it was only water," he murmured as he wiped the table and tried to hold back his laughter.

John smirked at Sherlock as he cleaned the water, and went to gather the pieces of the beaker. "You better take a break, love. Lest you drop something more volatile." He winked and put the pieces in the bin with the other broken glassware.

Sherlock stuck his tongue out and sat on the stool taking notes the rest of the class. When the last bell rang, he smacked John on the arse as they walked out the door. "You're a bloody tease, you know that?" He murmured in his fiance's ear as they walked to the car.

John jumped, instantly flushing and hoping no one had seen that. He glared at Sherlock as they made it to the car park. "You started it, Mr. Ear-Nibbler." He flicked Sherlock on the nose and then opened the car door.

Sherlock laughed, "I can't help it... you're just that irresistible." He smiled and opened the other car door, joining John in the back seat. He instructed Mycroft to take the other boy home and when they arrived at his flat, Sherlock walked his fiancé up the stairs and to his front door.

John reluctantly stepped up to the door when they reached his flat. "I'll miss you tonight," he said, getting onto his toes to peck Sherlock on the cheek.

Sherlock pulled John into an embrace and rested his cheek on the top of his head. "You can always call or text me," he murmured and placed a kiss on the other boy's temple.

John hummed softly and hugged Sherlock in return, not wanting to let go. "Yeah, I could." He needed to start getting used to this, though. Even if he didn't go for the army after all, chances were they wouldn't be at the same university. They'd wind up having many visits but eventually they would have to say goodbye, and it was only going to get harder.

Sherlock sighed and pulled back far enough to look down into John's eyes. He cupped his cheek and smiled, "I'll see you at school tomorrow, yeah? Meet you out front." Sherlock leaned down and gave his fiancé a loving kiss, then rested their foreheads together. He didn't want to let him go, wishing that they could just stay together all the time. But he knew that wasn't possible, at least not right now.

John closed his eyes, just enjoying Sherlock's closeness, feeling his warmth, breathing him in. Someday they wouldn't have to do this, but for now they didn't have a choice. "I love you," he whispered.

Sherlock sighed, "I love you, too John. More than anything." He kissed the other boy again and pulled back, "I guess you better go before your father comes out and drags you in," he said softly and smiled.

John laughed a little, ending in a sigh. "Yeah, I guess. See you tomorrow then." He gave Sherlock one last, lingering kiss and then turned to open the door. He waved at Sherlock and then stepped inside, heading up to the flat.

Sherlock waved until John was out of sight then sighed, shoving his hands into his coat pockets and heading back down the stairs. He got into the car with Mycroft, staring out the window the entire ride home.


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: So, here is another chapter for you lovelies! Keep those reviews coming!

* * *

Later that evening after Sherlock finished up his homework and worked on an experiment, he picked up his mobile to call John. He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling while he waited for him to answer.

John did some homework for a while, then had dinner with his father before going up to his room. He laid on the bed, flipping through an old book when his mobile rang. With a grin, he picked it up and answered. "Hi, hot stuff," he said, laying back and propping his head on an arm.

Sherlock chuckled, "hey beautiful, how are you doing?" He started picking at the pillowcase next to him, smiling at the sound of his fiance's voice.

"I'm lonely. I wish you were here," John said. "I don't know how I'm going to sleep without you." He rolled onto his stomach, putting the phone on speaker and laying next to it on the pillow. "How are you?"

Sherlock sighed, "same as you... extremely lonely. Mum made me wash the sheets earlier," he said with a smile, "I couldn't help but think of you and how they got dirty in the first place."

John laughed. "I'm sure she was thinking the same thing. Maybe you'll have to come here and we can dirty my sheets. Give yours a break." He sighed, running a hand over the empty space next to him in the bed. "I want to kiss you..."

"Mmm... yeah, I want to kiss you too," Sherlock said softly. Suddenly he got an idea, "you know what else I want to do? I want to hold you and run my hands all over your gorgeous body."

John swallowed, imagining himself in Sherlock's arms, being touched everywhere. He knew what his fiancé was trying to do. Two could play at that game. "I would bury my face in your neck, and kiss you there. You have such lovely skin there, so pale and smooth."

Sherlock hummed in content and kicked off the blankets, trailing his hand down his torso and letting his fingers dip below the waistband of his sleep trousers. "I'm touching myself now... tell me what else you'd do to me," he spoke huskily and bit his lip as he moved his hand lower.

John made a soft noise. "God, I wish I could see you." He popped open his trousers, slipping his hand under his boxers. "I would pull off your shirt, maybe lick up and down your chest. Suck on your nipples until they were so red they'd stay that way for a week." He groaned as he stroked himself. "I'm touching too..."

Sherlock's breath hitched at his fiance's words. He moaned as he started to stroke himself harder. "_**God**_, John... If you were here right now, I'd put your thick cock into my mouth and take it in as far as I could, all the way to the back of my throat." He bit his lip and adjusted the phone so it was pressed between his shoulder and his ear, leaving his other hand free.

John closed his eyes, trying to imagine that his hand was Sherlock's mouth. It wasn't warm enough, not wet enough, but it would do. "Fuck, yes...I would hold you in place and fuck your mouth so hard. And then I'd flip you over and I'd lick your arse hole." He squeezed himself harder as he stroked.

Sherlock groaned and stuck one of his fingers in his mouth, wetting it and then taking it out of his mouth with a loud pop. He reached behind himself and started teasing open his entrance. "I'm... fingering myself now. I'm imagining it's you preparing me... Ohhh, fuck," Sherlock breathed as he penetrated himself.

"Yes, close your eyes, pretend it's me." John pulled his trousers and boxers down to his knees, still stroking with one hand. "I want you to stick them in deep. You have nice long fingers, do you know that? They're fucking perfect." He stacked his hands one on top of the other, making a tight hole which he started to thrust into. "_**Fuck**_, yes, Sherlock..."

Sherlock whimpered and added another finger, pushing them in as far as he could and curling them against his prostate. "Shit... John," he breathed into the phone. He started thrusting his fingers in and out rapidly and moaned. "Oh... Imagine that I'm riding you, hard and fast."

John starting pumping his hands down as if Sherlock was doing the movement. "Yes, oh, yes! Oh, Sherlock..." He bucked his hips up to meet and tightened his hands. "I'm...using both my hands to pretend it's your- _**fuck**_- tight little arse..." His breathing was rapid and his strokes frantic as he felt himself closing in.

"Oh _**God**_, yes... You always feel... So amazing inside of me," Sherlock panted and twisted his wrist on his cock, sliding his thumb over the slit again. "Fuck... I'm s-so close," he moaned and his hips bucked up into his fist.

John let go with one hand do reach down and grab his balls, rolling them with his palm. "Yes, Sherlock, come. Come for me!" He groaned as he came ever closer, knowing one more move in the right way would do it. "Fuck, _**Sherlock**_, hurry!"

"Oh... Oh God... I'm... yes!" Sherlock cried out as his fingers hit his prostate dead on. His whole body was shaking with his release and he came so hard that some landed on his chin.

John loved the sound of Sherlock coming apart, and it brought his own orgasm, spilling out all over himself. He cried Sherlock's name out and fell back onto the bed, gasping. "Fuck, that was good..." He laughed goofily and closed his eyes.

Sherlock panted and laughed, "yeah... Shit, I think I'll need to wash my sheets again." He removed his fingers from his arse and wiped them dry on the bed so he could grab his phone. "Wow... we'll definitely have to do that again sometime," he breathed and let his head fall back on the pillow.

John hummed and turned the phone off of speaker, putting it to his ear. "Yes, definitely." He rolled over, arms out, but realised Sherlock wasn't there. He sighed and grabbed a pillow, curling around it. "I wish I could cuddle with you now."

"I know, love," Sherlock murmured and grabbed a pillow. "Just think... once we're out of school and off to Uni... We'll never have to sleep alone." He snuggled into the pillow and sighed. It was a poor substitute, but what could he really do?

"Yeah. Only a few months more." John squeezed the pillow, trying to catch a whiff of Sherlock, but he had nothing that held his scent. "A few months of lonely nights..." He sighed and kissed the phone, hoping Sherlock would hear the sound and know he was sending his love.

Sherlock smiled and kissed his own mobile, "I love you so much... and you are not alone, ever. I will always be there, okay? And if you ever need me, just text or call."

John nodded even though Sherlock couldn't see. "I know. The same goes for you. I love you very much." He settled the phone between his ear and the pillow, closing his eyes so he could just concentrate on the sound of Sherlock's deep baritone.

Sherlock sighed, "my bed actually feels a lot colder without you here... this really sucks," he murmured.

"I'm cold too. I miss my personal space heater," John said with a smirk. "But really, we need to move in together. I hate being away from you."

Sherlock hummed, "yes, I agree... But it's you that makes me hot in the first place," he said and chuckled. "We can start looking for a flat soon... Oh, that reminds me. Dad said that we're meeting with the lawyer on Friday after school. Do you want to spend the weekend with me again?" He hugged his pillow closer and buried his face in it.

John smiled faintly. "Do you even have to ask?" He paused for a moment before asking, "Are you ready? The lawyer is probably going to push you to testify." He was sure Sherlock's father would stay there with them to make sure the lawyer didn't pressure them, but lawyers could be conniving.

Sherlock was silent for a moment, thinking before he spoke. "Yeah... I think so. As long as you and dad are there with me. He already knows I won't testify unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Don't worry, I'll be right next to you the whole time." John gripped the pillow, wishing that it was Sherlock's hand. "Besides, I'm sure that whatever I say will be enough. Three attacks in two weeks certainly should be enough to put him away without having to bring up your past."

Sherlock nodded, "I think so... It will be hard not to say anything to him when we see him in court." He didn't say his name, John would know who he was talking about anyways.

"Or to punch him in the face," John added. He'd forgotten that during the trial they would actually have to come face to face with the bastard who almost killed both of them simultaneously.

"Now, John... I can't have you going to prison for assault. How would I live without you for that long?" Sherlock said firmly. "I know it will be hard, trust me... but you'll have to try and contain yourself."

John grumbled a little. "Yes, _**mother**_." Punching Moran would be the least that he could do to get back at him for all their mutual pain. But doing it right there in the courtroom would probably land him in a similar spot.

Sherlock laughed, "good boy. I should probably let you get some rest, love. We'll see each other tomorrow, right out front," he said and yawned a little.

John sighed and made a disappointed sound. "Alright. Goodnight, Sherlock." He was pretty tired too. Plus, the sooner they went to sleep, the sooner they could be together again.

"Good night, my beautiful John. I love you more than anything," Sherlock said and placed another kiss on the mobile. "I will see you in the morning."

John smiled and kissed his phone. "I love you, too, my darling. See you tomorrow." He gave the mobile one last kiss and then hung up. With a heavy sigh, he put it on his nightstand and then tried to fall asleep.

Sherlock hung up his phone and turned on his side to go to sleep. After a couple hours, he started to have nightmares of those first attacks from Moran and the others in the gym showers. He woke up sweating and gasping and was unable to sleep the rest of the night.

The sun rose a few hours later and was finally time to go to school. Sherlock struggled to stay awake on the drive over. When they got there, he plopped down on the steps to wait for John.

John's sleep wasn't peaceful either. He started to dream about the trial, and that no matter what they said, the court wouldn't put Moran away. He tossed and turned and thought about calling Sherlock, but he didn't want to wake him.

After and riding to school on his bike and nearly hitting someone with how tired he was, John was glad to see Sherlock on the steps waiting for him. He smiled and walked over, rubbing his eyes. "Morning, love."

Sherlock looked up and smiled tiredly. "Hey..." He tried to stand and almost fell, having to grab onto John's shoulders to keep himself up. "Sorry..." he mumbled and looked down at his fiancé.

John caught Sherlock, a little more slowly than he usually might have. "Are you okay?" he asked, tilting Sherlock's face up. He could see the bags under his eyes, which probably matched his own.

Sherlock nodded, "yeah, I um... just had a little trouble sleeping last night," he said and yawned. He looked over John, "looks like you did too, yeah?" He said and kissed his fiancé on the forehead.

John hummed and wrapped his arms around Sherlock. "Yeah. Nightmares." He closed his eyes and found himself thinking he could easily fall asleep standing up as long as he was with Sherlock.

Sherlock pulled away and frowned down at John, "you too?" He bent and kissed his fiancé on the lips. "You should have called me," he murmured against the other boy's lips.

John kissed him back and shrugged. "I didn't want to wake you up." He looked up and cupped Sherlock's cheek. "But you had them too?"

Sherlock nodded and frowned. "About the attacks... From before I met you." He held John tighter and rested his cheek on the top of his head. "It was awful..." he whispered and shivered.

John immediately rubbed his back, rocking him slowly. "I wish I could have been there for you. I'm afraid we're not going to get a decent night's sleep until we live together."

Sherlock sighed, "we'll have to manage somehow," he murmured. The first bell rang and Sherlock reluctantly pulled away, but grabbed onto John's hand. He walked him to class and kissed him on the cheek again before heading off to his own.

Sherlock's morning went by relatively slowly and without incident until it was time for gym. He was washing himself off in the shower when a sharp vision of the attacks that happened there flashed through his mind. He gasped and fell to the floor, curling up against the shower wall and rocking back and forth for several minutes. Somehow he was finally able to calm himself, but by the time he got ready, he was almost fifteen minutes late for lunch.

John watched Sherlock go before he went into the classroom, not entirely ready to have to sit through an entire sixty minutes without falling asleep. In fact by the time lunch came, John had spent nearly his entire morning fighting drowsiness. He sat waiting for Sherlock to come into the cafeteria, but had dozed off after a while, not realising that Sherlock was late until a loud noise from one of the other tables jerked him awake.

He looked up at the clock and realised that it had been nearly a quarter of an hour and Sherlock wasn't there yet. Just as he was about to get up and find him, his fiancé walked in, looking worse for wear. John met him across the floor and grabbed his hand. "What's wrong, love?"

Sherlock shook his head, not wanting to worry John with what had happened. "Nothing... I'm fine," he murmured and attempted a smile.

John raised one eyebrow. "Sherlock. I may be tired but I know you and I can tell when something's wrong." He brought him over to the table he had been sitting at.

Sherlock sat down and rested his elbows on the table, burying his face in his hands and sighing before looking back up. There were tears in his eyes as he spoke. "I don't... I mean... I just _**can't**_ talk about it. I just had a little... _**difficulty**_ in the showers." His brow furrowed and he wrung his hands together in front of him.

John turned angry for a moment. Had someone attacked Sherlock? He didn't look hurt. But then it clicked. Someone had attacked him, but before they had met. Sherlock must have had a flashback, especially after his nightmares and being tired. He reached up to wipe Sherlock's tears and kissed him gently. "You don't have to talk about it, but you don't have to go through it alone." He wrapped his arms around the other boy and pulled him in.

Sherlock immediately wrapped his arms around his fiancé and let his tears continue to fall. He started shaking with near silent sobs and clung to John with all his might.

"It's alright, love, I've got you. Nothing's going to hurt you anymore." John held him tightly and gave him soft kisses on the side of his face. It was this sort of thing that only made his desire to see Moran behind bars that much stronger.

Sherlock let all his tears out and after a few more minutes he pulled back and rested his forehead against John's. "Thank you," he whispered and leaned forward to kiss him.

John kissed him back, caressing Sherlock's cheek. "Don't thank me, it's my job." He smiled at his fiancé and gave him another chaste kiss.

Sherlock smiled back and gave his fiancé another hug before pulling away. "Let's go grab some lunch, yeah?" he said and stood, holding out his hand for John.

"Going to eat something for me, darling?" John asked with a grin as he took Sherlock's hand. He squeezed it lightly as they walked towards the counter to grab trays.

Sherlock chuckled, "of course, dear. Anything for you." He kissed John on the nose and grabbed trays for them both. Sherlock was hungry enough to actually eat a full meal this time and he knew it would please his fiancé to no end.

After lunch, the rest of their classes went by fairly easy. When the last bell rang, Sherlock held tightly to John, loathe to let him go home after his nightmares the evening before. "Could I... maybe spend the night with you tonight? After today I just... I don't know if I could sleep alone," he said quietly and stroked his thumbs along his fiance's back.

John really didn't want to have to leave Sherlock either. So when he asked if he could stay the night, there was no hesitation in his answer. He looked up and smiled softly at him. "Of course. It'll be good for both of us." He pulled away enough to start leading Sherlock towards his bike.

Sherlock sighed happily and took John's hand as he led him out to the car park. "This is the first time I'll be spending the night at your place... should be interesting," he smiled and winked at his fiancé.

John smirked up at Sherlock. "Yeah, very interesting. Seeing if we can go a whole night without wanting to fuck each other. My father will be home, you know." He didn't think it needed to be said that the flat was small enough that their... _activities_ would be very easily heard. It was bad enough that his father looked at him funny that morning, probably because of their wanking session the night before.

Sherlock broke into a grin and leaned down to whisper in John's ear. "I will try to keep my hands off you... But you have no idea how irresistible your body is. If we can't control ourselves however... Well... I think we can be quiet." He pulled away and winked again, squeezing the other boy's hand.

John blushed furiously at Sherlock's deep voice in his ear. He swallowed as the other boy pulled away. "Sherlock... you don't make it any easier you know. You know just how to get me riled up." He stopped by his bike and turned Sherlock to himself, pulling him down for a rough kiss.

Sherlock started to chuckle, but it turned into a grunt as John locked lips with him. He immediately wrapped his arms around the shorter boy, one of his hands in his fiance's hair and the other resting at the small of his back.

John made a soft sound against Sherlock's lips, hands tangling into his hair. After a moment he pulled back, an innocent smile on his face. "Let's go." He climbed onto the bike and waited for Sherlock to get on behind him before starting the bike.

Sherlock shook his head and gave John a lopsided smile, "_**bloody**_ tease you are." He chuckled and climbed onto the bike, pressing as close as he could to John and giving a subtle roll of his hips against his fiance's arse.

John hummed a little, the vibrations of his bike doing nothing to help. "It takes one to know one, love." He turned back slightly, reaching up to card a hand through Sherlock's hair once before turning forward again. He pulled out of the car park and started off for his flat.


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: Here we go again! This chapter features a sleepover at John's flat. Sexiness will occur, so be prepared! Keep those reviews a-coming! We adore them!

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Sherlock groaned and clung tightly to the other boy on the ride to his flat. He was close to nipping John's earlobe, but thought better of it. When they arrived, he stepped off the motorbike and waited for his fiancé to prop it up before smacking his arse. "Let's go upstairs then, love," he said cheekily.

John jumped, clutching his backside at the hit. "You're going to be the death of me, Sherlock Holmes." He followed Sherlock upstairs and opened the flat. "Da, Sherlock's here!" he called, a fair warning in case they couldn't help themselves.

"Hello, boys! I'm just cooking, should be done soon," his father's voice said from the kitchen. John smiled. His father had been in much better spirits since the 'promotion', and John got to spend more time with him now that he was only working one job.

Sherlock turned his fiancé towards him and leaned down to peck him on the lips. "So..." he wrapped his arms around the shorter boy and pulled him close, "what should we do while we wait?"

John leaned into Sherlock's embrace, arms winding around his neck. "Well, if you could keep quiet, I might be able to do something for you." He pushed him back onto his bed and knelt in front of him. "But you do tend to be pretty loud. Do you think you can hold it in?" He trailed his fingers along Sherlock's thigh, smirking at him.

Sherlock swallowed thickly and nodded, not saying a word. His heart started pounding as he looked down at John. It didn't take much to figure out what he was planning on doing.

John popped open Sherlock's trousers, slowly pulling down the zipper and peeling the flaps apart. Already Sherlock was half-hard and John licked his lips. "Hips up, love," he said softly, tugging at his trousers.

Sherlock obeyed and laid back so he could lift his hips up and allow John to pull his trousers and pants down. He sat back up once they were off and looked down at the other boy with lust filled eyes.

John left Sherlock's trousers and pants around his ankles and then leaned forward. "You thought I was a tease before?" he breathed against Sherlock's crotch, enjoying the little twitch he got from his lover. "Just wait." He trailed his nose along Sherlock's length, ever so slowly.

Sherlock groaned softly and bit his lip, trying to keep as quiet as possible. He braced one hand back on the bed and reached his other one forward to run his fingers through John's short, blonde hair. "Please..." he whispered and closed his eyes.

John smirked and kissed along Sherlock's cock from base to tip. When he reached the end, he took it into his mouth, sucking lightly.

Sherlock let out a low moan and opened his eyes to look down at his lover. "Shit..." he breathed, absolutely loving the view he had. It was funny, in a way, that even though John was down on his knees with Sherlock's cock in his mouth, he had the most control right now.

John swirled his tongue in Sherlock's slit, still with just the tip in his mouth. He brought his hands up to push his fiance's legs open further, keeping them on the soft pale skin of his inner thighs. He liked this, liked seeing how far he could go with Sherlock while he had to be quiet.

Sherlock groaned and threw his head back, "more... _**please**_ John," he whispered and pushed his hips up slightly. He wasn't sure how long he could stay quiet at the rate things were going. John was being such a tease and he was /so/ hungry for more.

John obliged, moving further down on Sherlock. He got halfway before he stopped, lolling his tongue over the rough skin. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew Sherlock was going to get back at him for the teasing. But it was too much fun to resist.

"Oh, God..." Sherlock whispered and tightened his grip on his lover's head. He had a feeling that John wasn't quite done teasing him and he whimpered, letting his head roll back on his shoulders.

John kept his mouth still, reaching one hand up towards Sherlock's mouth. He looked up at the other boy through his lashes, putting a finger on his lips to tell him to be quiet. He let a little smirk show around his lover's cock.

Sherlock glared down at John and opened his lips to take his lover's fingers into his mouth. He nipped at the tips and started sucking on them, trying to tease him.

John groaned around Sherlock, his talented mouth making him want to open his own trousers and stroke himself. But he wasn't going to lose control. He pulled his moistened fingers from Sherlock's mouth and reached under his lover, swirling one around his entrance, while at the same time starting to move lower on him.

Sherlock squirmed and bit his lip, trying his hardest not to make a sound. He didn't want to alert John's father who was just in the other room. He scratched his nails along his lover's scalp and then tugged at his hair, trying to get him to stop teasing or he was going to lose it.

John hissed a little at Sherlock's nails, and scraped his teeth over Sherlock's cock in response. He grazed him all the way down to the base, taking him in as far as he could go, while slipping his finger up inside of Sherlock at the same time.

Sherlock fisted the sheets on the bed and bit his lip harder as he felt John's teeth on his cock. He nearly cried out when his lover's finger finally penetrated him, but somehow managed to keep quiet. He wished he could convince John to have sex with him tonight, though the likelihood of that was pretty much non existent.

John bobbed his head fast, groaning and swallowing around Sherlock to add to the effect. His finger thrust in further and curled, looking for his lover's prostate. When he found it, he rubbed the tip of his finger over it, even though he risked Sherlock screaming.

Sherlock's eyes widened and he grabbed a pillow, bringing it to cover his mouth while he cried out through his release. Because of all the build up, just the one touch to his prostate brought him to orgasm and his whole body shook with the intensity of it.

John didn't expect the sudden release and he almost choked, but quickly recovered and swallowed everything Sherlock gave. He pulled off when Sherlock was finished, licking him clean and then removing his finger. "Good?" he asked, looking up at his lover.

Sherlock collapsed back on the bed when he was finished and he could only manage to nod his head in response. He laid still as he evened out his breathing and reached a hand out to try and get John to join him on the bed.

John climbed up next to Sherlock and kissed him. "Glad you enjoyed it." He laid there, trying not to think about his own erection, letting Sherlock have a few minutes to calm down. He knew his lover wouldn't leave him hanging but John had taken a lot out of him.

Sherlock hummed into the kiss, "oh yes... I enjoyed that _**very**_ much," he murmured. After he was able to catch his breath and slow his heart rate back to normal, he turned over onto his lover and gave him a passionate kiss. "Allow me to return the favour," he whispered and leaned down to kiss John's neck.

John kissed Sherlock back firmly, excited to see what he would do in return for all his teasing. He tilted his head automatically, giving Sherlock more skin to kiss.

Sherlock didn't take John's shirt off, he just slid his hands up underneath it and lightly scratched his nails along his lover's stomach. He continued to suck and lick at the other boy's neck as his hands moved lower to work on undoing his trousers.

John gasped and arched towards Sherlock's wonderful fingers. He was already so hard from sucking his lover off that this was just making him even more antsy. Though he supposed he deserved it.

Sherlock took his time divesting his lover of his trousers. He released John's neck, smirking at the dark mark left there and knelt in front of the bed, pulling his trousers down to his ankles. He then leaned up and nuzzled the other boy's crotch through his pants, breathing hotly on the fabric.

"Oh...shit, Sherlock..." John moaned softly then put his fist to his mouth to bite and muffle the sound. Not that it wouldn't be obvious to his father anyway what they were doing up here. He couldn't see the mark that Sherlock had left on his neck, but he was sure that it would look fresh when they came down for supper. He laid back on his hands, spreading his legs a bit wider.

Sherlock smiled up at John and took his pants off with his teeth, knowing how crazy it drove his lover when he'd undone his trousers like this. Once the pants were off, he licked a line up the underside of John's cock, right along the pulsing vein there. He lightly kissed the tip of his arousal, but then switched to kissing along his hipbones. Sherlock gripped to his lover's waist, pushing him down into the bed to keep him from bucking up as he teased him.

John panted, heart thumping loudly against his ribs as he watched Sherlock take off his pants with his teeth of all things. "Fuck, that's hot..." He let his head fall back as he felt Sherlock's lips on him, but a moment later looked down at Sherlock and whined at the lack of attention to where he needed it most. He fought against Sherlock's hands but the boy was stronger than he looked. His pent up movements channeled their way upwards to his throat, culminating in a low moan of frustration.

Sherlock chuckled and finally had mercy on John, placing a couple of kisses on each thigh before engulfing his lover's entire erection in one go. He relaxed his throat muscles and started to work him slowly, swirling his tongue around the head of his cock.

John bit hard onto his hand, crying out so loudly that it didn't seem to help that he had his fist in his mouth. He pushed up towards Sherlock's warm, wet mouth, body trembling.

Sherlock released his lover's hips and slid them down his thighs. He pulled off and immediately reached up to grab John's hands, pulling him up and into a standing position. Once he felt like his fiance was stable enough, he took his cock into his mouth and down his throat again, pausing when he had it all the way in. This time, he clasped his hands behind him and looked up at John, silently telling him he had control now.

John whimpered as the cold hit him without Sherlock's mouth. He had to hold onto Sherlock's shoulders for a moment when he was standing, and expected that he would start teasing behind him, but when the other boy took his hands away, he swallowed thickly. Sherlock was letting him have his way with him, and for some reason, that was incredibly sexy. John put his hands in Sherlock's curls and started pumping his hips, groaning softly at the smooth slide of himself into Sherlock's mouth and throat.

Sherlock hummed around John's length as he thrust. He'd been thinking about him fucking his mouth ever since his lover mentioned it last night and he thought this was the perfect opportunity to make it happen. He inhaled deeply and relaxed his throat completely, sliding his tongue along the underside of John's cock.

John had to let go of Sherlock's hair with one hand so that he could bite his fist again, because the sensation of his lover's lips and tongue and throat were too much to keep quiet. He moaned into his hand, eyes squeezed closed as he rocked his hips.

Sherlock adjusted himself and tilted his head back a little, opening his throat up more for his lover to thrust into. He ran his tongue along the slit of John's cock, gathering the precum and swallowing around his length. His hands were tightly clasped behind his back, as Sherlock himself was becoming slightly turned on by this whole scenario. He knew he'd be fully aroused again by now if it were possible.

John groaned again, the sound coming from deep in his chest. This new angle was perfect. He thrust down into Sherlock's mouth, knowing that it wouldn't be long before he couldn't hold on anymore. As it was, Sherlock's movements, however small, were enough to add extra electric shocks to what was already rocking through him. "C-close, Sherlock..." he warned softly, ending in a whimper.

Sherlock looked up at his lover and started sucking harder. He brought a hand up to grab one of his arse cheeks and squeezed it, hoping the added stimulation would bring him that much closer to release.

John gasped and cried out, his hand only barely muffling it as he finally climaxed. His hips went wild into Sherlock's mouth, spilling out hard and fast with the amazing sensations.

Sherlock swallowed as fast as John came, moaning as he finished down his throat. Once his lover was done, he licked him clean and pulled up his pants and trousers for him as he stood.

John panted heavily, stumbling back towards the bed until he could collapse back into it. "Oh shit...Oh Sherlock..." He closed his eyes and swallowed, trying to calm down.

Sherlock grinned and joined his fiancé on the bed, crawling towards him and laying down next to him. "I take it you like that, then?" he said cheekily and rested his head on John's shoulder, kissing the side of his neck.

John hummed deeply in content. "Very much so." He wrapped his arms around Sherlock and snuggled against him. "You are fantastic."

Sherlock smiled and brushed his fingers across John's forehead. "As are you, love." He leaned forward and kissed the other boy softly on the lips. "I love you so much," he murmured.

John kissed him back, leaning into his fiance's touch. "I love you, too." He laid his cheek in Sherlock's curls, closing his eyes. "Think we can squeeze a nap in before dinner? I'm exhausted."

"Mmm," Sherlock hummed, "maybe... how long does it usually take your father to cook dinner?" He nuzzled into John's neck, inhaling his scent.

John chuckled. "A little while. He's out of practice." Already he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes again, they were so heavy.

Sherlock closed his eyes, "I'm glad you're not struggling anymore," he said softly. He was so happy to see John and his father able to have all the essentials without wondering where the money was going to come from.

John smiled and kissed the top of Sherlock's head. "It's all thanks to you, love. You saved us." He smoothed a hand along Sherlock's spine slowly, other hand finding Sherlock's and twining their fingers.

"It's the least I could do for the love of my life," Sherlock said softly and tilted his head up to kiss John on the lips.

John kissed him back gently and then settled his face back in Sherlock's hair. "Sorry, but you're a lovely pillow. I'm going to sleep now."

Sherlock chuckled, "sleep well, love... I'm pretty tired myself." He wrapped his arm around John's waist and snuggled closer, twining their legs together. It didn't take long for him to drift off, the lack of sleep catching up with him.

John was asleep before Sherlock had even spoken, his mind so tired that no dreams came to him.


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note: Thanks again to all the readers and for your patience with the horrid lack of updating! Keep those reviews coming!

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It wasn't long before John's father was calling to them saying that dinner was ready. John heard it first and drowsily nudged Sherlock. "Sher...'sdinner time." He honestly was pretty content right here, but he was a little hungry too.

Sherlock groaned sleepily and snuggled closer to John, "Not hungry..." he mumbled and squeezed his fiancé around the waist.

"Sherlock," John said, waking further. "Come on, lovey. You have to eat something." He wiggled out of Sherlock's arms and stood up.

Sherlock groaned into the empty bed next to him, but got up and hugged John from behind. He placed a kiss on the side of his neck and rested his chin on the other boy's shoulder. "I suppose I have no choice... since my pillow has decided to leave me," he said and chuckled.

John chuckled, resting his hands over Sherlock's and leaning back. "Don't worry. As soon as we're done we can come back up and I'll be your pillow all night long." He started to walk, Sherlock still attached behind him.

Sherlock smiled and followed behind John, keeping him close the whole way downstairs. They probably looked a little funny walking through the door and he smiled at John's father as he came into view.

Mr. Watson was just putting out their plates when he saw the boys come in. He smiled but it faltered a little seeing they way they were attached. "Hello, boys..."

John just grinned at his father. "Hi, Da. Smells good." He pulled away from Sherlock and decided to play the gentleman, pulling a chair out for his fiance and tucking it in for him once he sat.

"Thanks... John." Sherlock almost called him 'love', but the look on his father's face when they walked in made him refrain from using the term. "And thank you for having me, Mr. Watson," he said and smiled nervously at him. He didn't want to admit it, but he was a little intimidated by John's father and he didn't want to mess anything up by saying or doing the wrong thing.

"It's good to have you, son. I don't think you've been here on good terms yet, so welcome." Mr. Watson smiled and served the three of them before sitting down and starting to eat. "So, you just went back to school for the first time yesterday, right Sherlock? How was that?"

Sherlock nodded, "It was good, nice to be back after spending the last couple weeks not being able to do anything but pace my room." He unfolded the napkin and placed it in his lap while he spoke, nervously re-adjusting it every few moments.

John noticed Sherlock's anxious behaviour and raised an eyebrow at him. He slipped his hand under the table and rested it on his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Mr. Watson nodded, smiling. "That's good. I'm glad that you healed up well." He took a few bites before turning more serious. "John and I owe a lot to you, Sherlock. I'm always going to be grateful for what you did to save my job."

Sherlock felt a little better at the touch to his knee and relaxed, starting to eat. When John's father spoke again, he looked up at him and shook his head. "You don't owe me anything. I just did what I had to in order to protect John and yourself. It was honestly the least I could do since I'm the reason he got attacked in the first place." He gave a sad smile and squeezed his lover's hand under the table.

John bit his lip a little. He hadn't told his father the exact reason why he'd been attacked by Moran. "It's not your fault, Sherlock, it's mine," he said quickly, trying to recover. "I pushed my luck with him, so he got angry. It wouldn't be the first time that I pushed someone to the limit, eh, Da?"

Mr. Watson didn't look fully convinced, but he shrugged a little. "It's been known to happen sometimes. He used to heckle his older sister from time to time until she chased him around the house and tackled him down."

Sherlock swallowed when he realised he'd said the wrong thing again. He cursed himself silently and focused on eating as much as he could stomach before excusing himself to the restroom. When he got there, he closed the door and leaned up against it, sighing heavily.

John sighed as he watched Sherlock go, knowing that he probably wouldn't eat more than that. "Is he alright?" his father asked.

"Sherlock doesn't eat much," John said, pushing his own food around on the plate. Mr. Watson just nodded a little. John now felt like he couldn't finish eating either and he bit his lip. Should he try to explain to his father what had really happened? Would he say that Sherlock wasn't worth the trouble and tell him to stop seeing him? He couldn't risk that.

Finally, John excused himself as well and went to find Sherlock. He saw the bathroom door closed and knocked softly. "Sherlock?"

Sherlock slid down the door and buried his face in his hands, elbows rested on his knees. He wanted more than anything for John's father to be completely accepting of them because he knew how important it was to John.

When he heard the knock at the door, he ran his fingers through his hair and stood. He opened the door and attempted a smile, "hey, I'm just coming back now," he murmured.

John grabbed his hands and looked up at his fiance. "You alright?" He knew that the ever-perceptive Sherlock could certainly tell that the mention of the attack on John wasn't the best thing to bring up. But he didn't want him to feel bad about it. It was John's job to let his father know about these things, and he probably should have told him the whole truth from the beginning. He was likely to find out at the trial anyway, if John was asked about it.

Sherlock shook his head, "no, I'm not," he murmured, looking down at their joined hands. He knew better than to lie to John again, his fiancé knew him better than anyone. "I really want your father to like me. I realise that sounds completely juvenile, but... I do." He bit his lip and rubbed his thumbs along the back of the other boy's hands.

John squeezed Sherlock's hands gently. "He does like you. He's just still getting used to things I guess." He released Sherlock's hands so that he could wrap his arms around the other boy. "I'm going to tell him what happened with Moran. And if he blames you for it, then I guess he's not the man I thought he was."

Sherlock nodded, "okay... I'll come with you," he said softly and hugged John to him before letting him go and walking back towards the table.

John was more than a little nervous. He really didn't want to find out that his father was different than he thought, but it was better to know now than later. Besides, after everything else, what were the chances that he would react badly to this? "Da," he started when they returned. "There's something I have to tell you."

"Let me guess. That Moran bastard attacked you because of your relationship with Sherlock?" Mr. Watson said before he could say anything.

"Uh, yeah. Good guess."

"John, I had a feeling that was the reason for a while now," he said rolling his eyes. "Give me some credit. You don't really think I'd blame Sherlock for that, do you?" John didn't know what to say. The way his father was acting now, he felt silly for having doubted him.

"Look, boys... This is all very new to me. I didn't really get a lot of experience in the homosexual child department because Harry left so quickly. But that doesn't mean that every little thing is going to change my mind about your relationship. Especially not something that was certainly not Sherlock's fault."

Mr. Watson stepped forward to put a hand on Sherlock's shoulder. "Sebastian Moran hurt my son because of your relationship, but not because of you. As long as you didn't sick that boy on John, I don't see you at fault."

Sherlock let out the breath that he was holding and relaxed. He smiled at Mr. Watson. "Thank you," he said, not really knowing what else could be said. He was very happy that John's father didn't blame anyone but Moran for the attack.

Mr. Watson grinned at him and patted Sherlock on the back. "Don't mention it. Now sit down and eat. You need some meat on those bones." John laughed a little and resumed his seat. He may have been missing a mother figure for a long time, but he was glad that he had his father instead of her.

Sherlock smiled and sat back down, eating as much as he could. He reached under the table and grabbed John's free hand, squeezing it and looking over at him with a grin.

John smiled back, glad that Sherlock was eating and that he was in a better mood. He finished up his plate, then grabbed everyone's dishes and brought them to the sink, cleaning them up.

Sherlock walked into the kitchen after John, standing beside him at the sink. He grabbed a dish towel off the counter to dry off the dishes as the other boy cleaned them. "Dinner was very good, Mr. Watson," he said over his shoulder.

Mr. Watson grinned to see Sherlock helping John with the dishes. "Thank you. You're welcome to come back for more whenever you like." He clapped the two of them on the shoulders as they stood at the sink. "Well, boys, I'll be in the living room if you need anything. Though I'm pretty sure that you'll be fine on your own, right?" He winked at John, making him blush.

"Da, please..." He handed the last of the dishes over to Sherlock to dry.

"I'm only teasing. Don't stay up too late." Then Mr. Watson went into the living room, leaving them alone.

Sherlock smiled, "your dad seems to be adjusting well. Maybe it's because there's no reason for him to worry about you getting me pregnant, yeah?" He laughed and nudged John with his elbow as he dried the last dish.

John laughed and shook his head. "Unless there's something that you're hiding from me," he teased.

When the dishes were done, John took Sherlock's hand and brought him back to his room. "Would you want kids, Sherlock?" he asked. It was something he hadn't really thought about before, but now that he was with a boy, the process would be a bit more difficult.

Sherlock shrugged and sat down on the bed. "Well... To be honest the idea never appealed to me. All the responsibilities of being a parent, all the bills and the dirty diapers and things." He reached up and grabbed John's hand, pulling him gently into his lap. "However... I really like the idea of starting a family with you someday. You would be an excellent father." He smiled up at his fiancé and kissed him softly on the lips.

John wrapped his arms around Sherlock's shoulders as he settled in his lap. "We'll take it one step at a time. I was just curious. But you know, we're still going to have bills and certain things, kids or not. Electricity, water, phone, telly, not to mention buying food and supplies for the house, or whatever we live in." Thinking about it too much was actually a bit nerve-wracking. "It's hard to believe that we'll be living on our own in just a few years."

Sherlock reached up and cupped John's cheek, "don't worry about all that, love. It will all be taken care of," he slid his hand to the back of his fiance's head and pulled him down for a kiss. "I think it will be absolutely wonderful living with you. I look forward to it every day," he murmured against his lover's lips and smiled.

John kissed Sherlock back, relaxing. He was right, everything would be perfect. Besides that, they still had time before they had to face that obstacle. And it would be even easier because they would be together. "So do I. No more distance between us." He gave Sherlock another kiss, smiling.

Sherlock hummed in agreement and brought their lips together again. He scooted back on the bed until his back hit the headboard. "You're so beautiful," he whispered against his lover's lips and slid his hands down the other boy's sides.

John sighed contentedly and opened his eyes to gaze at Sherlock. "You're more beautiful," he said with a hint of cheekiness. He pressed in a little closer to the other boy, enjoying the caresses on his sides.

Sherlock chuckled and kissed his lover's nose, "hence why we're the most attractive couple at school." He grinned and wrapped his arms tightly around John, pulling him into a hug. "I can't believe how lucky I am. You're the most kind, handsome, perfect person I have ever met. Every day I thank whoever's out there watching over us that you were brought to me." He pulled back and cupped his fiance's cheek again, "It blows my mind that someone like you could ever love me as much as I love you."

John's chest warmed at Sherlock's words, and he hugged him back just as tightly. But at the end he shook his head. "Come on, Sherlock. I'm nothing that special. I get B's in most of my classes. I'm short. I'm blonde and blue-eyed, a common combination. I don't have any special talents or skills. I'm just average. But you, Sherlock...God, I mean, I'm the lucky one here. You're so special, so unique and different. You're gorgeous, dark hair and blue or green or whatever colour eyes that you have. They change, you know, I can't keep up with them. And you're tall and sexy, and you're so brilliant. You're a treasure, a real diamond in the rough. I'm just the lucky one that found you first."

Sherlock smiled as tears came to his eyes and he pulled John into another kiss, this one firm and full of passion. "My dear John..." he whispered, "you may be all those things, but you are so much more and anything but average. After all... you were, _**are**_, the only one to ever try to find me. The only one to work to break down the walls I had built..." He lifted one of John's hands and placed it over his heart, "and you are the only one to ever hold my heart," he whispered and smiled lovingly up at his fiancé, the love of his life and the most important and perfect person in his eyes.

John felt Sherlock's heartbeat under his palm, one of his favourite feelings in the world, and he smiled back at his lover. "And you will always hold mine." He leaned down to kiss Sherlock again, long and slow, pulling back only to speak again softly. "I think we're both lucky, because we found each other so early. Not many people can say that they found their soul mate in secondary school."

"I don't think I could have waited another day for you, love. I'm so glad you found me when you did," Sherlock said softly and reached up to pull John into another kiss. He clasped his lover's hand over his heart and poured all his love into the kiss.

John brought his free hand to card through Sherlock's curls as they kissed, feeling the emotion on Sherlock's lips and giving it back tenfold. Every kiss like this... it was magical, to be cliche. Fireworks shooting off, sparks of electricity, the whole shebang. And the best part was from the first kiss to right now, it was the same intensity, and he couldn't see it dimming anytime soon.

Sherlock moaned softly into the kiss, so overtaken by the love in it that he felt like he was drowning. A good kind of drowning though, and John was there to keep him grounded. He pulled away after a while with a gasp and rested their foreheads together. Not a word was said, because nothing could ever come close enough to express how much he loved John. He slid down until he was lying flat on his back with his lover straddling him.

Sherlock tugged his lover close again for another passionate kiss and settled both hands on his hips, pulling them even closer together. There was so much love in the air around them that he could feel it warming him from the inside out as they continued to kiss.

John shifted on Sherlock as they kissed, so lost in their shared emotions that he forgot everything else but himself and Sherlock, together. He slipped his hands under Sherlock, around his neck to help pull him up a little to meet him. He let his tongue glide over Sherlock's lips and then into his mouth, feeling the familiar lines and crevices of his lover.

Sherlock whimpered into the kiss and grasped tighter to his lover's hips. He tugged at the hem of his jumper and pulled it up and off, reattaching their lips as soon as it was gone. He ran his hands all along John's torso and rocked his hips up once, trying to get friction for his growing arousal.

John moaned at Sherlock's touches, reaching down to undo the buttons on Sherlock's shirt. He broke away from Sherlock's lips to start trailing hot kisses down his lover's neck, grinding down into him. Yes, he had definitely forgotten about where he was because he wasn't trying to hold back anymore.

Sherlock gasped and brought one of his hands up to tangle in John's hair. He began moaning softly and grinding up in the same rhythm as his lover. After a few moments, he reached down to start undoing both of their trousers and managed to push John's down without much difficulty.

John groaned and pulled down Sherlock's trousers. He started to grind harder now that there was only the thin fabric of their pants between them. After another minute he started to move his lips down to Sherlock's collarbone, sucking a mark there while his hands trailed to his lover's hips, fingers slipping under the elastic of his pants.

Sherlock let out a low moan and slipped his own fingers into his lover's pants. "John..." he panted, "make love to me. _**Please**_... I need you." He bucked his hips up and wrapped his long fingers around John's hardened cock.

John couldn't say no. He groaned and rocked into Sherlock's hand, his own pulling on his lover's pants until they were fully off. He grabbed Sherlock's length, stroking him so that he could get enough precum to slick his fingers.

Sherlock whimpered and bit his lip, trying to stay as quiet as he could. It was becoming increasingly difficult to restrain himself from just crying out. He started whispering his lover's name like a prayer, bucking his hips up into his hand.

Once John had enough, he spread it over his fingers and then reached down between Sherlock's legs and under him. He circled one finger around his entrance and pushed in, pumping slowly for a little before adding a second. He knew Sherlock must be having trouble trying to stay quiet and he kissed him to muffle his sounds.

As soon as John's lips met Sherlock's again, he kissed him desperately, channeling all his feelings into it. He let out a soft whimper and rocked his hips back onto his lover's fingers.

John grunted into Sherlock's mouth as he stretched his lover. Finally, he pulled his fingers out and grabbed his own cock, using the precum there to slick himself before positioning at Sherlock's entrance. With a groan he pushed in slowly until he was as deep as he could go.

As his lover pushed in, Sherlock threw his head back and groaned. Once he was able to open his eyes, he tilted his head forward and looked up into John's eyes. He lifted a hand to his cheek and smiled. "I love you so much, John," he murmured softly and pulled him down for a slow, loving kiss.

John waited, wanting to make sure Sherlock was alright first before he moved. He returned the kiss, gently starting to thrust as he did so. "I love you, too," he whispered against Sherlock's lips and kissed him again.

Sherlock moaned as his lover started to move inside of him. He loved the feeling of being pierced to the core by the love of his life. It was the most overwhelming sensation he'd ever felt, far more powerful than the drugs he use to indulge in.

He pulled away just far enough to breathe, panting out against his lover's lips as he thrust in and out. The love and tenderness in this particular bout of lovemaking brought tears to Sherlock's eyes and he whimpered every so often as John's cock hit his prostate.

John loved the way the two of them fit together. He could fully sheath himself inside of Sherlock, his lover's inner walls closing perfectly around him, and make them one whole piece. He felt fully complete, more than he usually did when he was with his lover.

He looked down at Sherlock, so beautiful beneath him, and kissed the tears from his face. John brushed the back of his fingers over Sherlock's cheek and thrust a little harder. "God...you're so gorgeous...So perfect..."

Sherlock leaned into the touch and closed his eyes, focusing on every sensation and committing them to memory. He leaned up, blindly seeking his lover's lips, needing them to touch in every place possible.

John kissed Sherlock deeply, wrapping his arms under him so that he could bring Sherlock up. Their fronts were flush together, his lover's cock pressed between their abdomens. With each movement of John's hips, he made sure that Sherlock got friction.

Sherlock moaned at the new angle and clutched tightly to his lover's back, dragging his nails across his skin. "John... Oh God, _**John**_..." He groaned as softly as he could and looked up into the other boy's eyes as he continued to thrust.

John groaned at Sherlock's nails digging in, back arching. He gazed back at his lover, hips still moving as he tried to make sure he kept hitting Sherlock's sweet spot. He loved the way Sherlock looked in this moment; eyes half-lidded, mouth slightly open, curls wild. He bent his head to kiss his lover's neck again, getting close.

Sherlock moaned softly as he came closer and closer to the edge. One final thrust into his prostate brought him hurtling over and he came with a loud gasp. For a moment, Sherlock felt as if their very souls were one, colliding as he came down from his orgasmic high.

John couldn't hold back anymore as he felt Sherlock clenching around him. He let out a cry of his lover's name and spilled out, staying buried deep inside of him. His vision whited out and he couldn't even hear any of the noises they were making as he rode out his orgasm. It was one of the most powerful he'd had yet.

Sherlock placed soft kisses on the side of his lover's face as he collected himself. He leaned close to whisper "I love you" over and over in John's ear, never feeling closer to him than in this moment.

John clung to Sherlock as he calmed, staying inside of him and just breathing in his lover's scent in the post-high bliss. He finally turned his head and caught Sherlock's lips in a kiss. "I love you, too. So, so much."

Sherlock smiled and kissed John back, humming contentedly. "You... are the most amazing lover," he murmured quietly and leaned in to connect their lips again.

John sighed, so happy, as he kissed Sherlock in return. "Second only to you," he said. He finally pulled himself out of Sherlock and rolled off onto his side, pulling him close.

Sherlock raised a hand and traced the outline of John's face with his fingers. "I think we'll both sleep rather well tonight, don't you?" He grinned at his lover and rested his hand on his bare hip.

"Mm," John hummed. "Very well." He smiled and tucked Sherlock's head under his chin, tangling their legs, wanting to stay as close together as they could.

Sherlock sighed happily and fell asleep quickly to the sound of his lover's heart beating beneath his ear. He slept soundly that night, without a hint of a nightmare.

John fell asleep as well, the presence of his lover warding off all bad dreams.


	25. Chapter 25

Author's Note: Trying my best to make up for the lack in posts the past month! Starting my new job has been quite demanding on my time. Sailorxstar and I thank you all for continuing to read and please keep reviewing! We love hearing from you!

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The next morning John was well rested and happy to find that Sherlock was in his bed with him. He would never get tired of waking to his fiance's beautiful face. John pressed gentle kisses to his forehead, cheeks, nose, everywhere.

Sherlock awoke with a soft hum and his eyes flickered open to look up at his wonderful fiancé. "Good morning, love," he mumbled sleepily and stretched his legs.

John smiled and kissed him again. "Morning." He looked over to his clock on the table and pouted when he saw that they needed to get up.

"That time already?" Sherlock whined and nuzzled his face in John's shoulder. "I think we should skip out today... Your bed is rather comfy," he murmured into his lover's neck, giving it a kiss.

John tilted his head, pretending to think about it. "Hmm...spend all day in bed with my fiance, or go to school and have to sit through lessons when all I want to do is kiss you all over. Tough choice."

Sherlock pouted and poked his fiancé in the side. "Hey! It's not _**that**_ tough of a choice, you git." He stuck his tongue out and turned away, pretending to be mad.

John squeaked a little when Sherlock poked him and rubbed his side. He decided to play along with Sherlock's fake anger. "Aw, Sherlock. Of course it's not, I was teasing." He scooted close and kissed his lover's ear. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Hmm..." Sherlock rubbed his chin. He turned and smiled cheekily at his lover. "Wash me in the shower?"

"My pleasure." John rolled off the bed, landing on his feet and holding out a hand for Sherlock. "I have to warn you though. My shower is a bit tight."

Sherlock took the offered hand and smirked, pulling John's naked body flush against his own. "Mmm, that just means we get to be closer," he said with a wink.

John licked his lips, kissing Sherlock firmly. "Watch it, Sherlock, or we'll never make it to the bathroom."

Sherlock chuckled and put his hands up, backing away. "Alright, alright... Sorry, dear." He smiled and pecked John on the lips.

John grinned and led Sherlock out to the bathroom. He started the water, looking for some extra towels before stepping in. He wasn't kidding when he said the shower was tight. There was just enough room for them to both stand inside with a centimetre between them.

Sherlock stepped in after John, his front to his lover's back. He reached up to begin massaging his shoulders, leaning forward and kissing the nape of his neck.

John hummed, all the tension disappearing from his shoulders. "You have magic fingers, my love," he said, glancing back at Sherlock.

"Mmm," Sherlock hummed against John's skin, "you're the only one who will ever experience them." He nuzzled the side of John's neck for a few moments, but froze. "John? What time does your father wake up?" he murmured softly.

John shrugged a little, pouting when Sherlock stopped moving. "He might be gone already. Why?"

"Because I think I just heard your bedroom door open and close," Sherlock replied quietly. He stayed still and kept his ears open for any other noises. Footsteps started making their way closer and he buried his face in John's neck. "Shit..." Sherlock breathed, not moving an inch.

John turned out towards the bathroom, pushing Sherlock behind him. Dear God, they just couldn't escape without someone breaking in and trying to kill them. He waited, seeing if the person would be able to get in the door. He had locked it...

There was a knock at the door and Sherlock stayed still. He nudged John in the back. "I think it's your father... If I'm right, you should be the one to respond," he whispered.

John reached back, grabbing one of Sherlock's hands and squeezing. "Y-yeah?" he called out. He was terrified of what he might get as an answer.

"John? I can't find my car keys... Do you remember the last place I had them?"

Sherlock sighed in relief and slumped against John. In a way he was glad it was his fiance's father, but he wasn't too fond of the idea of him possibly finding them in the shower together.

John let out a held breath and smiled. "Did you, um, leave them in your other jacket?"

There was a pause and then, "Maybe. I'll check." His father's footsteps moved away, but then turned back. "Did Sherlock go to school already?"

John flushed a bit. "Well..."

"He's in there with you, isn't he?" John's face burst in red and he said nothing. "Clean up after yourselves, please," his father said and then walked away.

Sherlock snickered against John's skin, his body shaking with silent laughs. "God... that could have been so much worse," he said and pulled away, still laughing.

John's blush slowly quelled and he leaned back, joining in Sherlock's laughter. "Imagine if he had actually walked in!" He turned around and pressed his forehead into Sherlock's shoulder as he let himself laugh, more heartily than he had in a while.

Sherlock laughed harder and wrapped his arms around his lover. "That... would have even made _**me**_ blush." He reached around John to grab the soap and shook the bottle in front of his face. "Shall we?"

John grinned, taking a few breaths to calm down and then nodded. He took the bottle and grabbed a wash rag, pouring out some soap onto it. Then he spun Sherlock around and started washing his back.

Sherlock hummed and slumped his head forward so John could wash his neck too. "I really enjoyed myself last night. I wonder if your father heard us..." he said and smirked.

John washed Sherlock's neck and then moved back down his spine, and even a little lower. "If he did, he was very nice not to mention it just now. But I like to think that he didn't hear at all."

"Yeah, I think it would be best if he didn't. That would make for awkward conversation," Sherlock said and chuckled. He turned around so John could wash his front and leaned forward to peck his lover on the lips.

John could only imagine. Knowing his father, he might try to give him 'the talk'. He washed down Sherlock's front, making sure to get his arms and legs as well. "There, I think you're nice and clean."

Sherlock grinned, "except for my mind... That, I'm afraid, is a hopeless cause." He grabbed the rag from John and squirted more soap on it. He turned his fiancé around and started to wash his back.

John smirked a little. "Looks like I haven't been a very good influence on you." He leaned back, enjoying Sherlock washing him. "Then again, I think it was a mutual exchange."

"Oh it was very much mutual. After all, I did try to seduce you the first day we met. You're just so sexy I couldn't help myself." Sherlock leaned forward and kissed down the side of his lover's neck as he continued to wash him.

Once they were both clean, Sherlock grabbed John by the shoulders and placed a firm kiss on his lips, only lingering for a second before pulling back with a smirk and stepping out of the shower.

John hummed softly, tilting his head over. He never wanted to shower alone again. He licked his lips and followed Sherlock out of the shower, grabbing himself a towel. "You are such a tease," he said, pinching Sherlock's arse.

Sherlock gasped and smiled, "I learned from the best," he smacked his lover's arse and walked past him to the bedroom.

John grinned, following him out to his room. He opened his closet, looking for something that Sherlock might fit into. But most of his clothes were made for someone shorter and pudgier. "Maybe we should have planned this better. Although, I do like the idea of you walking around my flat with no clothes on."

"Mmm... But do you like the idea of me walking around _**school**_ with no clothes on? Lots of wandering eyes you know," Sherlock said and winked at his fiancé.

John shrugged. "No, I don't. So I guess you just can't go to school then." He gave Sherlock a cheeky smile and pushed him down towards the bed. "And I can't possibly go to school by myself, so I guess we're both stuck here."

Sherlock grinned up at his lover, "Hmm... I wonder what we can do to occupy our time?" There was a sparkle of mischief in his eye as he looked John up and down.

"Well, we have the whole flat to ourselves for at least eight hours. No one to hear us, or accidentally stumble in. What could we possibly do..." John moved to straddle Sherlock, putting his hands on the other boy's shoulders.

Sherlock groaned and instantly wrapped his arms around his lover. He smiled up at him, "I have no idea, love... Why don't you tell me what _**you**_ have in mind?" He took his index finger and slid it down the front of John's torso, stopping at his hipbone.

John let out a low sound. "Well...I think that you should lay down on your back." He pushed Sherlock so he was laying flat. "And I'll get you all worked up..." John climbed over him and kissed down his neck. "And when you're ready, I'll ride you," he whispered, nipping his ear.

Sherlock shivered at his lover's tone, "that sounds... _**so**_ fucking hot..." He leaned his head back, stretching out his neck to give John better access to the skin there.

John lapped at Sherlock's neck, tongue gliding over an older mark he'd left there. "Figured you'd think that." He started sucking a new mark in place just below it. He was glad that they were already naked, because his hands had full access to Sherlock's gorgeous pale body without fumbling with clothes. He ran his hands along his lover's chest and down his sides.

Sherlock groaned and arched his back into his lover's touches. John could reduce him to a puddle within seconds and he _**loved**_ it. His hands came to rest on the other boy's hips, gripping tightly as he showered attention on him.

John made his way down Sherlock's body, nipping, sucking, licking, kissing. He wanted to hit every inch of his lover's skin with something. Where his mouth couldn't reach his hands roamed, trailing ghosting touches or pausing in spots to massage the skin.

He went slowly and thoroughly until his lips finally reached Sherlock's crotch. He smirked up at him and blew on the head of his cock before coming back up and kissing Sherlock firmly on the lips.

Sherlock let his hands drop to his sides as his lover lavished his body in kisses. By the time he made it to Sherlock's crotch, he was a quivering, moaning mess.

When John locked their lips together, Sherlock kissed back hungrily. He lifted one of his hands to grasp the back of his lover's head and bring him closer.

John pressed down so he could grind into Sherlock as they kissed, but he made sure to only create minimal friction as he still wanted to tease Sherlock a little. He pulled away from his lover's kiss swollen lips and brought a hand up to trace them. "You are incredibly gorgeous like this," he breathed.

Sherlock moaned, "and you look absolutely amazing on top of me." He let his hands roam down his lover's back. He smiled and let his fingers dip between John's arse cheeks. "I want to be inside of you so badly... I want to pound into you until you're screaming in pleasure," he whispered against the other boy's lips.

John whimpered and pushed towards Sherlock's fingers. All of his attention to Sherlock had left himself wanting. "Please...fuck me, please..." He buried his face in Sherlock's neck and rocked into him again.

Sherlock brought one of his hands up in front of John's face and stuck three fingers at his mouth. "Here... suck," he breathed and whimpered.

John obeyed, taking in his fingers and sucking them, imagining they were Sherlock's length. He lolled his tongue around them, making sure they were good and soaked.

Sherlock removed his fingers once the were wet enough and brought his hand back behind his lover, pushing one inside his entrance. "I love the way you feel inside, so hot and tight..." he whispered huskily against John's lips. "You like having my cock in you, don't you? Tell me... tell me how much you want it."

"Ohhh..." John moaned and pushed his hips onto that long finger of Sherlock's. His lover's words only added to the ache between his legs and the desperation for more. "Yes...Yes I love it. I feel so full with you inside me. You own me, Sherlock. Please, please fuck me..."

Sherlock added a second finger and scissored them, stretching open his lover. "I love it when you talk dirty to me... It makes me want you even more," he murmured and added a third finger, pushing them in deeper.

John's breath hitched and he whimpered at the feeling. "Please, Sherlock...I need you." He dug his fingers into Sherlock's shoulders to try to keep himself from reaching down and stroking himself.

As soon as he felt his lover was stretched enough, Sherlock removed his fingers and spit into his hand. He reached down and coated his erection in it and then grabbed onto John's hips. Lifting him up, he angled his own hips until the tip of his cock pressed against his lover's entrance and guided him down onto it.

John let Sherlock set him in place, tossing his head back with a moan as he was penetrated. But once he had reached the hilt of his lover, he took over, starting to rock his hips and clench his arse around him. "Oh, God yes...You feel so good, Sherlock..."

"_**Fuck**_ yes... S-so do you, John..." Sherlock breathed and snapped his hips up to meet his lover's thrusts. "God, you look so good bouncing on my cock. I love that I'm the only one who's ever had you like this." He moaned loudly and threw his head back.

John let out a cry as Sherlock's extra movement caused a hit on his prostate. He bent over, putting his hands on his lover's chest as he continued to move. "I...Yes, Sherlock, only for you...Fuck..." He bowed his head, fingers curling on Sherlock's skin.

Sherlock hissed in pleasure as John's nails dug into his skin. He gripped tighter to his lover's hips in response and started moaning steadily as John kept slamming himself down onto his cock.

John started moving faster, moving one of his hands down to stroke his own cock. He still marveled at the fantastic feeling of not having a condom between them. It was a bit more rough, but it really made them able to _feel_ each other. "Ohh, Sherlock...C-close..."

Sherlock grabbed John's wrist and forced his hand off himself. "No..." he growled, "I want you to come with just my cock. Can you do that for me?" He looked up at his lover, his eyes telling him that he wasn't going to really force him to try if he didn't want it.

John swallowed and nodded, melting under Sherlock's gaze. He knew he could, it would just take a little longer. And why not enjoy it for as long as possible. He still felt close, however, now that he had touched himself a little, and he slowed just enough to calm down again.

Sherlock smiled seductively up at John and smacked his arse. He gripped tightly to his lover's waist and brought him down harder on his cock, trying to slam into his prostate with every thrust. He bit his lip and leaned his head back, gaining pleasure from it just because of John's obedience to his request.

John cried out as Sherlock had the perfect angle to hit his sweet spot, and he gripped his lover's shoulders, nails surely leaving marks. Each movement was driving him closer and closer to the edge, pleasure coursing fast through him. "More, Sherlock. Harder!" he managed around a moan.

Sherloc snapped his hips up faster and smacked his lover's arse again. He groaned and could feel his legs shaking as he continued to pound up into him. "Ohhh, _**fuck**_ yes, John... God... You're _**brilliant**_... Oh shit."

John's breathing was laboured as he nearly sobbed with the sensations. "Ah...Oh, yes...Fuck, yes, Sherlock!" With a few hard slams between both of their efforts, John was coming hard, spilling out onto Sherlock's chest and abdomen. He made sure that he clenched his muscles tightly around his lover's cock as he rode his orgasm.

Sherlock watched in awe as John's cock twitched between them and come spurted from it. The feeling of his lover's muscles clenching around him and the sound of him orgasming brought him to his own release. "_**Fuck**_... John!" He screamed an his back arched as he came deep inside John.

John gasped at the hot sensation of Sherlock filling him. He finally slumped forward, slipping off of his lover to splay on top of him. "Dear God...I swear, anyone else and I probably wouldn't have enjoyed sex like this."

Sherlock chuckled breathlessly, "you mean you wouldn't have enjoyed it this much or you wouldn't have enjoyed the way we did it?" He turned his head and kissed John on the temple.

"A little of both," John admitted, burying his face in Sherlock's neck. "I have to be honest, before we met, I was a little afraid of, you know...gay sex." He flushed a bit, hiding his face further.

Sherlock chuckled and nudged John's shoulder, trying to get him to look at him. "Really? Why did it scare you?" he asked, genuinely curious.

John lifted his face a little, but not all that way. "I don't know. I think a lot of guys are scared of it, gay or straight or whatever. I mean, technically it's not 'natural' and I read more than once that it really hurt and could be dangerous."

He finally looked up at Sherlock and smiled. "But then you came along and suddenly that didn't matter anymore, just like it didn't matter that I was unsure of my sexuality in the first place. I guess when you find the right person, everything just...clicks."

Sherlock smiled, "yeah, I know what you mean. I'd had a lot of offers you know... Before you. Some of the kids of my parents' friends would come onto me, just wanting sex and nothing more." He shrugged, "But I just didn't want that. I wanted my first time to be with someone special... Someone I truly loved and who loved me back." He cupped John's cheek and kissed him softly on the lips, "And it was."

John let out a soft sound of content as he kissed Sherlock back. He smiled a little sadly at him. "I just wish that you had been my first too. My first time was really awful." He grimaced at the memory.

"Well... Technically I _**was**_ your first. I mean, you'd never had sex with another boy before..." Sherlock smiled at John and got lost for a while, remembering their first time together.

John smiled a little. "Well, yes, that is true. And I certainly had never had anything up my arse before you." He put a hand over his heart, feigning shock. "Oh, Mr. Holmes. You stole my virginity!"

Sherlock grinned and turned until he was hovering over his lover, "Yes, I have turned you into quite the little deviant, hmm?" He leaned down and captured John's lips in another kiss, sliding their tongues together nice and slow.

John pulled Sherlock down closer, enjoying the touch of their tongues. If they hadn't just done something, he would already be half hard just from that.

Sherlock pulled back after a while, "oh yes... Definitely my little deviant," he said breathlessly and smiled down at John. He propped himself up on one elbow and reached up to stroke the side of his lover's face. "I love you so much... I don't think I can say it enough," he murmured.

John leaned into the touch, smiling softly. "Please, don't stop." He wrapped his arms around Sherlock, hands landing on the small of his back. "I love you, too. I never imagined that I could be this happy."

Sherlock sighed happily and settled himself on top of John. "So..." he said, still stroking the other boy's face, "three days until we meet with the lawyer... Think you're ready?"

John rubbed his thumbs over Sherlock's skin, quirking his mouth. "I think I am. It's just one step closer to putting that bastard away."

"I just can't believe it... I overheard the mum and dad talking about it and they said I _**died**_... That my heart stopped." Sherlock frowned and closed his eyes tightly, taking a calming breath before opening them again. "It's a miracle I'm alive right now... here with you. And I'm so glad."

John shook his head, hating to think about it. He brought one of his hands up to Sherlock's chest and put it over his beating heart, needing to feel the pumping muscle. "I was so scared..." he said softly. "When they carried you out, I really thought I had lost you. I'm grateful everyday to even hear you breathe."

Sherlock leaned down to kiss his lover deeply, "I'm here, love... We're both here together and we're going to be okay now." He cupped John's cheek again and smiled down at him.

John swallowed and kissed him back, taking the comfort happily. "I know. I know we are." He put his arm back to where it was, holding Sherlock close to him, relishing in their closeness.


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: Here's another chapter for you lovelies! In this one, the boys meet with the lawyer. Prepare yourselves! (PS, the name of the lawyer is borrowed... from a movie I watched when Sailorxstar and I were writing this... xD) Reviews are puppy kisses and sunshine!

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The next three days went by quickly and Friday afternoon after school, Sherlock stood outside waiting for John to get his overnight bag from his locker. As soon as he approached, he took his lover's hand and smiled at him, squeezing it. "Ready?"

John squeezed Sherlock's hand, slinging his bag over the opposite shoulder. "As I'll ever be," he said. As he had said to Sherlock before, it was one step closer to finally getting Moran the punishment he deserved. He was actually very ready.

Sherlock led them to the car where Mycroft was waiting and opened the door for his fiance before stepping inside himself. He held tightly to John's hand the whole way to his house, looking over at him and smiling nervously on occasion.

When they finally arrived, they dropped John's bag off in his bedroom before walking together to his father's home office where they would be meeting with the lawyer. Sherlock opened the door and found his father sitting on his desk, talking to a woman wearing two piece suit who was sitting in one of the chairs with a briefcase by her feet. They both stood as the boys entered.

"Sherlock, John... this is Helen Rodin, she will be the attorney representing you both." Helen stood and smiled, extending her hand.

"It's nice to meet you Sherlock, and you as well John. Shall we get started?" She gestured to the table in the corner of the room.

John tried to be as reassuring for Sherlock as possible while they were in the car, smiling back and rubbing his thumb over the back of his fiance's hand. When they finally came face to face with their lawyer, John smiled at her and shook her hand, waiting for Sherlock to do the same before he gently pulled him over to the table. He sat down side by side with Sherlock, keeping a tight hold to make sure that Sherlock knew he was there for him.

"Now..." Helen said and put her briefcase on the table before taking a seat herself, "I understand that only you will be testifying, John. As much as I wish that you both were..." She glanced over at Siger who gave her a stern look, "I have been informed not to push things."

She smiled nervously and cleared her throat, "well then... We're going to go over a few questions that I expect Sebastian's lawyer will ask you and some that I myself will ask. To begin with, I would like to talk about the first incident. John... How did it all start?"

John sighed, squeezing Sherlock's hand for his own support now. "Well, it was actually the first time that we met. Sebastian had gathered the rugby team around Sherlock and by the time I got there they had already knocked him to the ground. I stepped between them and he backed off, but not before almost breaking Sherlock's nose."

"I see..." Helen took out a notebook from her briefcase and scribbled notes in it while John talked. "And did he say why they had ganged up on Sherlock?"

John thought back to that day, trying to remember what dumb excuse Sebastian had given him. "He said something like, 'Freak thinks he's better than us'. That's how he refers to Sherlock." He felt a flare of anger at the thought and squeezed Sherlock's hand again, perhaps a bit too hard.

Sherlock patted the back of John's hand soothingly and half smiled at him. Helen nodded and took more notes, "okay, now... Tell me about the events leading up to the second attack on Sherlock."

"It was the next Monday," John said, looking down at the table. "We had decided not to hide the fact that we were together, but I suppose that Sebastian didn't like that. After school, he had one of our classmates draw me away while he surrounded Sherlock with the rugby team and beat him unconscious." He took a shaky breath before continuing. "I managed to get them away and take Sherlock to the hospital."

"How did you know to come back?" Helen said, brow furrowed, "Explain how they got you away from him..." Sherlock squeezed John's hand tighter, knowing she was bound to ask that question. He hadn't really heard the details himself of what happened while John was away with Mary.

John quirked his mouth. He hadn't wanted to have to say all the details, because Sherlock didn't know what had happened, but he should have known that they were going to want to hear everything. "Sherlock and I were about to leave when a girl, Mary Morstan, came up to us and asked if she could speak to me alone. She took me around a corner and...She kissed me." He turned away, not meeting Sherlock's or Ms. Rodin's eyes. "I pushed her off, of course, and then I heard Sherlock shouting and I ran back."

Sherlock frowned, _geeze... what is with these girls trying to kiss my John?_ he thought. Ms. Rodin nodded and took more notes, "Alright, so you were able to get Sherlock to the hospital after the attack... Now, what happened the day he came after you?"

John let out a sigh of relief when Sherlock didn't say anything or have any sort of reaction to what he had said. He pressed on, and answered the next question. "Sherlock wasn't in because he was still recovering. I was eating lunch and Sebastian came over to me with some of the boys and started to pick on me. There was a bit of back and forth and then I was on the ground with him on top of me, punching me until I blacked out." He took a few deep breaths, almost able to feel the pain again. _Stay strong, John. You're doing this for both of you._

Sherlock furrowed his brow in concern and laid a hand on John's shoulder. "John? Are you alright, love?" Siger stood from where he was sitting on the desk, "We can take a break if you need to," he offered.

John shook his head. "I'm fine. I don't want to stop." He smiled at the two Holmeses and then turned back to Ms. Rodin. "Please."

Helen looked back at Siger, who nodded for her to continue. She turned back to John, "Okay... Now we need to talk about the shooting. Start from the beginning. What were you doing before it happened?" Sherlock grabbed John's hand with both of his and smiled reassuringly at him.

John took a deep breath, Sherlock's support appreciated. "I had stayed over at Sherlock's and we had just woken up," he started, closing his eyes. "We were about to take a shower when Sebastian showed up. I don't even know how he got in the house, but he was holding a gun." John swallowed. It had been the worst day of his life, and it was painful to remember.

"I pushed Sherlock behind me, and Sebastian started shouting that we had ruined his life. He had been expelled and lost a scholarship because of the attack on me," he explained. "I...I tried to reason with him but...he pulled the trigger and..." John's eyes filled with tears, but he kept going. He needed to keep going. "Sherlock pushed me out of the way," he said, voice high pitched. He turned into his fiance's shoulder.

Sherlock kissed the top of John's head, "It's okay, love... It's alright," he soothed.

"I think that's enough," Siger said and crossed his arms.

"He needs to tell the rest of it. The jury will want to hear the whole story," Helen argued and turned to look at Mr. Holmes.

John let a few tears fall before pushing up to face the lawyer again. He wiped his eyes and then sniffed up a few times. "No. She's right. I have to finish." He needed to do this to make sure that Sherlock didn't have to testify too. He cleared his throat and pressed on.

"Sherlock pushed me away and got...hit instead. Sebastian ran off after that and I called for an ambulance. Luckily we made it in time and they were able to save him." John let one of his fingers trail to Sherlock's wrist, feeling his pulse, and it calmed him.

Helen finished taking notes and closed the notebook, "I think that should be enough for today. I'll be back tomorrow afternoon to run through questions the other lawyer might ask you." She stood and gathered her things together before holding her hand out towards the boys, "I look forward to helping you put this monster behind bars," she said and gave a sad smile.

After the lawyer had left and Sherlock's father went with her to walk her out, Sherlock wrapped his arms tightly around John. "Are you okay, love?" he murmured softly into his hair.

John let out a puff of breath, hugging Sherlock back and pressing his face into his fiance's neck. "Yeah...Yeah, I'm good." He inhaled deeply from his nose, breathing Sherlock in. "Actually this was good. I think I'll be able to keep my head better during the trial."

Sherlock pulled back far enough to look into John's eyes, "Tomorrow will be harder... The way the other lawyer asks the questions is never very kind. But, I'm sure father won't let Ms. Rodin get too carried away..." He was worried for his fiancé and stroked the side of his face, frowning. "I wish I wasn't such a coward and could testify... That way you wouldn't have to face this alone."

John took Sherlock's wrist in hand, holding it there so he could turn to kiss the palm of his hand. "You aren't a coward. There's nothing wrong with not wanting to talk about something that scarred you like that." He looked up at Sherlock and smiled, sliding his hand up to lace their fingers. "I'll be fine tomorrow. As long as you're there."

Sherlock smiled, "I'll be right beside you," he said softly and leaned in to kiss his fiancé on the lips. He kept it slow and loving, closing his eyes into it.

John returned the kiss with a smile. Everything would be fine. He would protect Sherlock from having to relive those memories and make sure that Moran never touched him again.

Sherlock pulled back and smiled at John, "I want to show you around the house," he said and stood, taking his fiance's hand. He led him down the hall and into a side room with a billiards table in the center of it. "This... is the game room." He pointed over to the corner, "mum insisted on installing those arcade games even though neither me or Mycroft were remotely interested."

John grinned, following Sherlock to the room and not expecting at all what he saw. There were arcade games all along the wall, the billiards table, a ping pong table, and even a big television with game consoles hooked up and a cabinet filled with games. "Sherlock...This is awesome! Why haven't you taken me in here before?" He went straight over to one of the arcade games, an older one that was one of his favourites when he was younger. "Wanna play me? Bet I can kick your scrawny little arse."

Sherlock smiled, glad to see John liked it. He walked over and stood beside the other boy at the game. "Hmm... you bet me, huh? What are the stakes, then?" He grinned and raised an eyebrow, this could definitely get interesting.

John turned to Sherlock and then gave him a sly grin. He'd meant it rhetorically, but this was fine with him. "If I win..." He looked Sherlock up and down, then leaned up to whisper in his ear. "I get to tie you up and do whatever I want with you."

Sherlock swallowed thickly and shivered, the implications of that were... fascinating. He nodded slowly, "Okay... and if I win?"

"Then you can do the same to me," John said with a wink. He then turned back to the game and started it up. It was a classic fighting game. John picked a character and then watched Sherlock with a grin.

Sherlock swallowed and then took one of the controls. He chose his character and the game began.


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Note: This chapter is relatively angst free and will include a bit more of Sherlock showing John around the house (and lots of smut xD). Enjoy and as always, reviews are appreciated!

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Despite Sherlock nudging John to the side repeatedly as they played, he still managed to win. Sherlock backed away and sighed, "I totally just let you beat me," he grumbled and put on a fake pout.

"Yeah, right," John scoffed. "Do you know how many hours I used to play that game at the arcade? You never stood a chance." He smirked up at his fiance and his gaze turned darker. "And that means tonight, you'll be at my mercy."

Sherlock smirked for a second before he straightened his face and got down on his knees in front of John, bowing his head. "Yes master," he said in a low voice.

John laughed, pulling Sherlock up to kiss him. "Come on, let's play something else. This is fun." He really didn't get a chance to do this much anymore, not since he was in primary school. And it was fun to do something new with Sherlock.

Sherlock chuckled, "okay then, but I get to choose this time." He led John over to the huge leather sofa in front of the telly and grabbed a couple of controllers. He held one out for the other boy to take. "Here... You may have me whipped at that fighting game nonsense, but I am the _**master**_ of racing games."

John took the controller in hand and looked it over. "Bit different from my day. The last home console I had was an NES." Sherlock was right, John had no chance now.

Sherlock took the time to show John how all the controls worked before they started and let him warm up by playing by himself a couple times. They finally played against each other and Sherlock did end up winning, but it was a very close game.

"Want to play another round? Or..." Sherlock sat his controller down and moved to straddle his lover's lap, "would you rather go to my room and collect your prize?" He leaned in and nipped John's earlobe, breathing hotly on the wet skin afterward.

John shivered at the feeling of Sherlock's breath and wrapped his arms around his lover's waist. "Sounds good to me." He slipped his hands down further to Sherlock's arse and squeezed.

Sherlock groaned and wrapped his arms around his lover's neck, "How would you like to tie me up? I have some scarves in my closet... Or I could look around for some rope..." He ground his hips down into John's and moaned softly.

"Scarves should be fine. I don't want to hurt you." John moved to Sherlock's hips and held him still, smirking. "Not yet, my love." He nudged Sherlock off of his lap and stood up.

Sherlock stood and took John's hand, leading him back down the hall and to his bedroom. He went to his closet and returned a couple minutes later with four different coloured scarves. He handed them to John and smiled, standing and waiting for him to tell him what to do next.

John took the scarves and bit his lip, excited. "Take off your clothes," he said softly. "I want to see every centimetre of you."

Sherlock nodded and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, taking it off and tossing it aside. He toed off his shoes and used John's shoulder for support as he took off his socks. Then he started on his trousers, undoing the button and zipper and sliding them down along with his pants. He stepped out of them and was now standing completely nude in front of John, his cock already slightly hard from the anticipation.

John watched, enjoying the slow reveal of his lover's body. When he was finally bare, John stepped forward and walked him backwards, pushing him onto the bed. "Lift your arms, love," he said, and once Sherlock had done so, he tied each wrist with a scarf. He kept it loose enough for him to pull out if he really needed to, but tight enough that it wouldn't be too easy. Then he tied up Sherlock's ankles the same and straddled him.

Sherlock laid there all sprawled out beneath his lover and his heart was pounding. He looked up at John with lust darkened eyes and licked his lips. It was more arousing than he thought it would be, being in such a vulnerable state, but he supposed that was because it was John that was in control right now. Had it been anyone else, he wouldn't have enjoyed this nearly as much.

John started easy, bending low to kiss Sherlock deeply. He put a hand to the back of his neck and tilted his lover's head up, slipping his tongue into his mouth, feeling the familiar contours and crevices. He rocked gently into his lover, just teasing.

Sherlock moaned softly and tried to keep from bucking his hips up. His hands clenched tightly into fists and he kissed John back hungrily. "John..." he breathed against his lover's mouth and leaned his head up to nip playfully at his bottom lip.

John hummed and pulled away, staring down at Sherlock. "You are incredible," he said, voice husky. "I have never seen anyone so hot..." He bent down and let his breath ghost over his lover's chest. "...in my entire life."

Sherlock groaned, he'd already established that hearing his lover talk during sex turned him on. It sent pleasure through his body like nothing else could. He tilted his head back, exposing the pale flesh of his neck.

John couldn't stop himself from bringing his face up to Sherlock's neck. He nipped a line along his lover's neck, passing over old marks and untouched spaces. "I love your skin," he breathed. "It's so easy to mark, so easy to show everyone you're mine." He growled softly and sucked a new one in place.

Sherlock gasped and bucked his hips up once. "Yes... I'm yours, John. Always yours," he whimpered and bit his lip.

John smirked and pulled away. He wiggled himself down Sherlock's body until he was between the other boy's legs. He started kissing Sherlock's inner thighs tenderly, enjoying the little twitches of his muscles at the attention.

"Oh God..." Sherlock whispered and looked down at his fiancé settled between his legs. He swallowed and his pupils dilated at the sight. Even though John was still completely clothed, he looked _extremely_ sexy right now.

John moved up Sherlock's thigh, passing over his groin without stopping, and then hit the other with the same attention. He was going to make Sherlock crazy, he knew, but it was too much fun. John moved back to the center, lips inches from Sherlock's cock. "Lift your hips for me."

Sherlock moaned freely now and nearly bit a hole in his lip. He obeyed and lifted his hips up, curious to see what his lover was planning next.

John dipped under Sherlock, peeling apart his lover's cheeks and revealing his entrance. He had been thinking about doing this since Sherlock had done it for him. He slipped his tongue out, swiped it over him, then licked a long stripe from his entrance and up along the length of his cock.

"_**Fuck**_! Ohhh God, again... More, _**please**_ more..." Sherlock moaned, a little surprised by how much he enjoyed that. His cock twitched and by now precum was dripping from it. He needed more.

John definitely liked that reaction. He dipped under Sherlock again and repeated what he'd just done, smirking up at him after. He swirled his tongue around Sherlock's slit, scooping up the precum and swallowing it.

Sherlock groaned and arched his back, his nails digging into the palms of his hands. "God... You're amazing," he breathed. John's mouth on his cock was one of his favourite sensations ever, he couldn't believe he'd never done anything with another bloke before. John was a natural.

John blew on his lover's cock, watching as it twitched. "I'm glad you're enjoying this. Because I'm nowhere near done yet." He climbed up on top of Sherlock, straddling him again. He bent to Sherlock's chest, licking over one of his nipples.

_Christ..._ Sherlock thought as his lover continued to tease him. "At least take off your shirt?" He murmured as he arched up into John's mouth. "Please?"

John looked up at him through his lashes. "I suppose I could. Just because you're being good." He sat up and pulled his jumper up over his head. Then he went right back to work, bending to take Sherlock's nipple into his mouth and suck.

Sherlock swallowed thickly as he watched John take off his jumper. "Okay... Maybe that wasn't one of my best ideas..." he murmured. His eyes fixated on his lover's chest and he tightened his fists. As John started working on his nipple again, he groaned and threw his head back, closing his eyes.

John swirled his tongue over the aroused flesh, leaving a gentle nip at the end. Then he moved to the other one, doing the same. He knew Sherlock must be dying to touch him, and he wanted to be touched as well. But he also liked being in control, because Sherlock squirming underneath him was extremely sexy.

Sherlock pulled lightly against his restraints and groaned, "John..." he whimpered, "Fuck, John..." Sherlock continued to chant his lover's name, unable to think of anything else. After several moments of sweet torture, he could feel the sweat start to drip from his forehead with the effort of staying still.

John pulled up and looked at Sherlock, seeing that he was struggling. "Is it too much?" he asked softly. He didn't want to keep Sherlock like this if he wasn't enjoying it.

Sherlock shook his head, "No, I just... Can you kiss me?" He bit his lip, feeling a little weird that he felt the need for it. But for some reason, he felt a little scared of being restrained like this and needed the reassurance.

John came back up and kissed Sherlock deeply. He pulled away and stroked his face. "We don't have to do this," he said. "I do miss your hands."

Sherlock sighed into the kiss, grateful for the touch of their lips. He looked up at John and gave a lopsided smile, "really?" Of course he noticed how fascinated his lover seemed to be with his hands, but he didn't realise how much. "I think it might help if you talked to me... I want to keep trying," he murmured.

John kissed Sherlock again at the sight of that smile. "I don't know how, but you just managed to be super sexy and super adorable at the same time." He trailed his hand back down Sherlock's torso and paused at his hip. "If you're really alright, we'll keep going."

Sherlock blushed and nodded, "yeah, I'm alright. Now touch me or I'm really going to go crazy," he said and chuckled softly.

John grinned and moved back to where he was. He mouthed over the center of Sherlock's chest and then moved towards his stomach. Here he left sweet kisses all across the width, very gentle and feather-light. His hands were roaming Sherlock's legs again, smoothing over the soft skin.

Sherlock relaxed and closed his eyes, focusing on the touch of his lover's lips on his skin. His leg muscles twitched at John's touches and he let out a soft moan.

John moved to Sherlock's hips. He kissed across his lover's waist and stopped at the hip bone to bite the thin skin, leaving yet another mark. John licked the mark to soothe it then shifted down to settle between Sherlock's legs again. He nudged Sherlock's hips up and swooped under to lick at his entrance again teasingly.

Sherlock gasped and bucked his hips up at the bite and hummed in content when his lover laved his tongue over it. When John licked at his arsehole again, he moaned and tried to push his hips down onto his face.

John chuckled a little. "Like that, do you?" He lapped over it again, using his hands to pull Sherlock apart more. "I like knowing what you like. I want to know everything that makes you scream." He plunged his tongue inside, curling it against his lover's inner walls.

"Oh God, yes..." Sherlock moaned out and bucked his hips down again. His cock was still steadily leaking pre-cum and he whimpered as he felt his lover's tongue probe him. "_**Christ**_, that feels good," he mumbled and tightened his thighs around John's head.

John kept his tongue inside of his lover, moving his head as best he could from where it was stuck between Sherlock's legs. He finally pulled out, then slipped a finger in his place, sliding it in easily. He brought his face up over Sherlock's cock and licked off the precum before fully engulfing him.

"Yes... Oh _**fuck**_ yes..." Sherlock whined and lifted his head to watch his lover go down on him. "Oh God..." he murmured, the sight was absolutely _beautiful_. He focused on John's lips, stretched around his cock and moaned.

John groaned around Sherlock, swallowing to add to the effect. His finger pumped and twisted inside of Sherlock, reaching his prostate and stroking it.

"Oh _**fuck**_, John... Look at me, p-please look at me. I want to see you," Sherlock whimpered and strained against the scarves again. All the sensations were overwhelming and he needed the connection of their gazes to keep him grounded.

John opened his eyes, staring intently at Sherlock through his lashes as he kept moving on his lover. He slipped a second finger into Sherlock, then a third, copying his vibration technique against his lover's prostate.

Sherlock groaned and kept eye contact with John. "Close... Very close," he murmured and bucked his hips up deeper into his lover's mouth. He screamed out his release and went limp after he was finished, chest heaving with the effort of getting air into his lungs.

John readied himself, knowing that with what he was doing Sherlock wouldn't last long. Sure enough, he was soon coming, and John swallowed everything he gave, keeping his lips moving on Sherlock through the orgasm. When he was finished, John licked him clean and pulled his fingers out. "How was that?" he asked, moving up to untie Sherlock's wrists.

All Sherlock could manage was a groan as he let his arms drop to the bed when John untied them. He was still shaking slightly from the exertion and his heart was pounding in his ears. His eyes opened and he smiled over at his lover, lifting his arm to pull him into a kiss.

John smiled, kissing Sherlock back. "I'll take that as a positive answer." He turned around and undid Sherlock's ankles, then climbed back up to snuggle against him. "Really, though, if you ever don't like something I do, you'll tell me, right?"

Sherlock bit his lip, hesitating very briefly before nodding. "Yeah... I would," he said and smiled, leaning in for another kiss.

John smiled, kissing him in return. He tried to ignore the aching between his legs. He'd driven Sherlock pretty hard, so he didn't expect him to reciprocate. Although, he didn't think that he'd be able to make this erection go down... "Hey Sherlock...Want to watch me?" he asked with a smirk.

Sherlock's eyes went wide and he sat up against the headboard, licking his lips. "Do you even have to ask?" He said huskily and grinned.

John chuckled and moved to open his trousers. He shimmied out of them and his pants, then sat back and wrapped his hand around his cock. "I want you to tell me what to do," he said, voice deep.

Sherlock smirked and moved closer, putting his mouth next to the other boy's ear. "I want you to stroke yourself... slowly and not too hard," he purred.

John groaned softly, doing as Sherlock said. This he really liked. It was like the other night when they were on the phone, except he could feel Sherlock's voice rumbling next to him, sending shivers down his spine.

"That's it... just like that," Sherlock murmured, nipping John's earlobe. "Now slide your thumb over the slit. I know how much you like that," he whispered. He cast his eyes down to watch his lover pleasure himself, loving every moment.

John whimpered and obeyed, smoothing his thumb over his slit as his hand came up. He let his eyes fall shut, breathing out shakily. "Fuck, _**Sherlock**_..."

"Yes... That's right, love." Sherlock reached his hand up to the back of his lover's head, twining his fingers into the hair there. "Take your other hand and rub your finger behind your balls. Don't touch your arsehole yet, not until I tell you to."

"God, yes, Sherlock..." John reached down, leaning back a little to get to the spot Sherlock told him. He moved his finger over the skin, gasping at how sensitive it was there, and had to fight himself not to go back further. "Oh, Sherlock... more, please..."

Sherlock smirked against the side of his lover's face, "you like the sound of my voice, don't you?" he said in an amused tone. "God, John... I love the way your cock looks, you know that? So thick and long... I want you to stroke your entire length, keep it slow."

John let his head fall back, a low moan escaping him. "Yes, I do...I love it..." He whined a little at Sherlock's instructions, wanting to go harder, but he listened, stroking from base to tip and keeping a steady pace.

Sherlock nipped at John's jaw, "Okay... Now you can finger yourself. I want to see your arsehole stretched around your fingers." He placed soft, open-mouthed kisses all along his lover's jaw and neck, humming against the skin.

John moaned again, moving in any way that he thought would give Sherlock more skin. He swiped his fingers over the tip of his cock where precum was steadily leaking out, and used that to slick himself up. He reached back down, leaning further backwards to get at his entrance. "I'm... imagining it's you," John breathed as he pushed one in. "That it's your long fingers, stretching me out."

"Start moving your fingers faster... Tighten your grip on your cock," Sherlock murmured against John's skin. His eyes were riveted downwards, watching his lover's cock slide in and out of his own hand and his finger working in and out of his arse.

John did as he was told, and cried out at the feeling. "Ohhh, Sherlock..." He pushed in his finger as far as it would go as he thrust in and out. "More? Please?" he asked desperately.

"Add another finger, twist your wrist a little... That's it, love. Just keep listening to my voice." Sherlock ran his fingers through John's hair and scratched lightly at his scalp. "I love you so much, you're so amazing... So beautiful. You're simply gorgeous like this, when you're so desperate for release. _**God**_, I wish you could see yourself right now."

John pushed in another finger and twisted, tossing his head back with a cry. He was so completely lost in everything, the sound of Sherlock's voice, his subtle touches, the scent of him so near, and the feeling of touching himself like this. He almost felt like it was Sherlock touching him, fingering him, and having a hand in his hair all at once.

Sherlock smirked and reached a hand down to stroke his lover's thigh. "Come on, love. Finish for me, I want to hear you shout my name when you come." He leaned in and started nibbling on John's ear, breathing hotly against it.

John was stuck between moaning and crying as he absorbed everything that Sherlock was doing to him. At those last few words, he finally climaxed, hips jerking wildly as he screamed his lover's name.

Sherlock pressed kisses along the side of John's face as he finished. When he was completely spent, he lifted his lover's hand and licked the come off of it, humming in content at the taste.

John could barely think by the time it was over, and only just registered that Sherlock was licking his hand clean. He pulled his fingers out of himself and laid back with a groan. "God...That was incredible..."

"Glad you enjoyed yourself," Sherlock smiled and helped John pull his pants and trousers back on. After zipping and buttoning them back up, he kissed his lover on the lips and went to grab some sleep clothes. "Do you want to see the home theatre? We could watch a film before we go to bed."

"You have a home theatre?" John asked, sitting up a little. "Yes, I want to see it!" He got out of bed and grabbed his shirt, pulling it on and smiling excitedly at Sherlock.

Sherlock chuckled, "yes... we have a home theatre. I actually spend a lot of time there. I really enjoy watching films." Once John was ready, Sherlock led him to the hall and down the stairs to the lower level. He took him through a large, padded door and turned on the lights, revealing the theatre.

There were eight big leather chairs with leather footstools arranged in rows in front of a six meter high, seven meter wide screen. There were speakers all along the walls and a projector hanging from the ceiling. Off to the side there was a popcorn maker and a fridge with drinks, along with a cart filled with boxes of candy.

Sherlock opened a door on the right side of the screen that revealed a sort of closet area filled with rows of films and the DVD player. "Any particular film you'd like to see? I'm sure we have anything you'd be interested in watching," he said from the closet.

John's jaw dropped at the sight of the theatre. He had seen on the telly once or twice people who had put a theatre in their house, but in person it was even more impressive. He followed Sherlock down to the DVD closet and looked through the choices. "I...I don't even know. I don't think my mind is working well enough yet to pick. This is fantastic!" He turned to Sherlock and kissed his cheek, wrapping his arms around the other boy's waist. "Why don't you pick? Surprise me."

"Okay then," Sherlock said and smiled, wrapping his arms around John's waist in return. "Why don't you go pick out some treats? We have pop too if you're thirsty." He gave his fiancé a quick kiss on the lips and turned back to pick out a film.

John grinned and went to the snack cart. He grabbed a bottle of cola for himself, some popcorn, and a box of candy. Then he picked a seat and beamed at Sherlock as he waited for him to pick a film.

Sherlock decided on one of the new films his father just got in. He grabbed the DVD and put it in the player, then walked out and shut the door behind him.

He dimmed the lights and smiled at John, approaching the seat and sitting down with him. He adjusted so they could both sit comfortably, putting one of his arms on the back of the chair behind John's head. "This is a good one, not out on DVD yet, but... Father has his ways." Sherlock grinned and kissed the other boy on the cheek while he stole a handful of popcorn from his bucket.

John shook his head in amusement. "I'm not surprised. At this point, I don't think I can be surprised anymore by anything." He snuggled into Sherlock's side, taking a sip of pop as the film began.

About halfway through the film, Sherlock got an idea. He took a piece of popcorn and held it in front of John's mouth, smiling at him. "Open up," he said softly.

John turned to Sherlock and smirked before opening his mouth and taking in the piece of popcorn. He let his tongue swipe over Sherlock's fingers, licking off the butter and salt and pulling off them with a pop.

Sherlock closed his eyes and bit his lip as John teased him. He opened them and raised his eyebrow at the other boy, "You don't really want to go there, do you?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

John giggled a little and winked at Sherlock. "No, I don't. But it's still fun to tease you." He grinned and then turned back to the film, settling comfortably with Sherlock.

Sherlock chuckled and turned back to the screen. By the end of the film, he had settled very comfortably and had fallen asleep on John's shoulder, his face buried in the side of his fiance's neck.

John enjoyed the film, and by the end wanted to turn to Sherlock and start talking about it. But then he saw that his fiance was asleep and he smiled softly. Giving him a kiss on the temple, John scooped the other boy up and carried him back towards his room.

Sherlock murmured something incoherent and nuzzled further into John. His arms came up around his fiance's neck and his eyes fluttered open to look at the other boy and smile sleepily. "Hey... you're strong too," he mumbled when he realised he was being carried and pulled himself closer to kiss John on the cheek.

John felt his heart warm at the sight of his fiance, snug in his arms and so adorable. He laughed a little and held more tightly to Sherlock. "This isn't the first time I've carried you. Though the situation wasn't very romantic." He stepped into Sherlock's room and laid him down on the bed, climbing in with him.

"Really?" Sherlock said and yawned, pulling John close once he was in bed with him. "When did you last carry me?" he asked and rested his head on his fiance's shoulder.

John frowned a bit remembering. "The first day that we were together, after you got knocked out, I literally ripped the rugby players from you and carried you out of the school. I would have carried you all the way to the hospital if your brother hadn't shown up."

Sherlock looked up at his fiancé and smiled, cupping his cheek. "My hero," he whispered and leaned up to connect their lips. John was so good to him, doing all he could to protect him. He was reminded once again how much he loved the other boy, how much he needed him.

John happily kissed Sherlock in return, a bit of pride welling in his chest when Sherlock called him a hero. Out of everything he wanted to be for Sherlock, one of the most important was to be his shield, to make sure he never got hurt.

Sherlock pulled back and smiled softly at John, "I love you." He snuggled closer to the other boy and fell back asleep quickly.

John quickly joined Sherlock in sleep, whispering, "I love you, too." before fully drifting off. Luckily he didn't have any nightmares tonight, which was thanks to the presence of his fiance by his side.


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Note: I want to apologize profusely for how long this took to post. I've been dealing with a lot of personal problems, but everything is going well again! To top it all off, however, I will be without internet until this coming Monday. (I'm posting from a local coffee house right now!) But I promise it will not take so long next time! Love you all and please keep those reviews coming!

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Sherlock woke early the next morning and found John still sleeping, but didn't wake him. Instead, he just watched him sleep. Sherlock didn't think he'd ever seen something so beautiful. He looked so peaceful and he smiled faintly up at him.

When John finally woke, it was to find Sherlock staring at him and smiling. John returned the smile lazily. "What're you lookin' at?"

Sherlock shrugged, "I'm just looking at the most handsome boy I've ever seen," he said cheekily and grinned. He lifted himself up until he was able to straddle John's hips and leaned down to give him a long, slow kiss.

John blushed lightly, kissing Sherlock back and wrapping his arms around the other boy's waist. He loved waking up like this, with Sherlock being the first thing he saw, being able to kiss him good morning.

Sherlock hummed into the kiss and pulled back only when he felt the need to breathe. He rested their foreheads together and sighed happily, eyes closed. "Breakfast should be ready soon," he murmured, staying where he was.

"Do we have to get up?" John whined. "I'm nice and comfy here with you." He tightened his grip on Sherlock, pulling him down so they were pressed flush together.

Sherlock chuckled and lifted John up so he could wrap his own arms around his fiance. "Well... It is Saturday, we could sleep in..."

John grinned and nuzzled his face into Sherlock's neck. "What time is the lawyer coming?"

Sherlock lifted his head and removed one of his arms to start stroking John's forehead as he spoke. "Well, Dad said Ms. Rodin should be here around three this afternoon. I still wanted to show you the rest of the house, did you bring your swimming trunks like I told you to?"

"Yeah. I can only imagine what kind of pool you have after seeing the rest of the house," John said, leaning into Sherlock's touch.

Sherlock smiled, "and a hot tub... And a sauna," he said and kissed John on the cheek. "I'd really like to have you in one of those places," he murmured softly and nipped playfully at the other boy's lower lip.

John smirked a little and hummed against Sherlock's lips. "You're insatiable, Mr. Holmes," he teased.

"Damn right I am," Sherlock said and winked. "It's hard not to be with such a sexy fiancé."

"Well, it's a good thing that the feeling is mutual, then." John moved his hands down a little lower, lightly cupping Sherlock's arse.

Sherlock hummed and gave John a quick peck on the lips. "I'm really curious... What was your first impression of me?" He asked and ran his fingers through the other boy's hair.

John cocked his head to the side, remembering the first day they met. "Well, to be honest I thought that you were a bit helpless," he admitted. "But I also thought that you were quite handsome. And I still do. Not the helpless part though." He gave Sherlock a sly grin. "Now what about you?"

Sherlock chuckled, "I suppose that was a logical assumption, given the situation." He smiled and kissed John on the lips again, "now let's see... The first day we met... Well, I also thought you were really handsome, brave and very kind. I also thought about how great you would look without a shirt on." He grinned down at the other boy, "and I was _**completely**_ right. You do look dashing without a shirt."

"Well, thank you," John said with a smirk. "You're not so bad yourself." He tilted his head back to kiss under Sherlock's jaw. "I couldn't understand why people would want to hurt you. You didn't seem like the kind to bother anyone."

"Mmm, well I'm really not. But I do have a tendency to spout off deductions that leave people rather upset with me." Sherlock craned his head back To give John more skin to kiss. "That's why I normally don't deduce people... I was so afraid that even though you asked for me to deduce you, that you would call me a freak like all the others." Sherlock turned his head back down to look the other boy in the eyes and lifted his hand to stroke his cheek, "I'm so glad I was wrong," he murmured.

John took the invitation and pressed a trail of kisses along the sharp line of Sherlock's jaw as he spoke. He liked the way that Sherlock's deep voice vibrated under his lips as he kissed him. When Sherlock looked back into his eyes, he smiled and put his hand over his fiance's. "Everyone who called you that just doesn't understand. Yeah, it's kind of bizarre when your whole life comes out of the mouth of a stranger, but it's also really fantastic. It's like magic."

Sherlock grinned, "I love you so much. You've turned my world around, quite completely. Thank you... for loving me, for giving me a chance. I will never be able to tell you enough how grateful I am for you."

"I love you, too," John said softly, threading his fingers with Sherlock's. "You did the same for me, really, and you don't have to thank me for anything. It's my honour to love and be loved by you."

They laid in bed talking and exchanging kisses until Sherlock heard John's stomach growl. "Uh oh," he said and grinned at the other boy, "somebody's hungry." He slid down and placed soft kisses all along John's stomach. "I think we need to feed you."

John squirmed a little, Sherlock's kisses tickling. "Hey, cut it out!" He pushed Sherlock's head from his stomach and sat up. "You make it like I'm a dog or a baby or something," he grumbled, ignoring his stomach making another unattractive noise.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow, "when have I ever treated you like a baby... or a dog?" He sat up and crossed his legs, reaching forward to take John's hands. "Come here," he said and pulled the other boy into his lap, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Just now," John said, putting his hands on Sherlock's shoulders when he was pulled into the other boy's embrace. "It was just a joke, I didn't mean anything by it." He playfully licked Sherlock's nose.

Sherlock chuckled, "okay good... I wouldn't want to upset you." He scrunched his face up when John licked his nose, "and _**now**_ you're _**acting**_ like a dog." He leaned forward suddenly, tossing the other boy on the bed and following him down. Sherlock joined their lips in a firm kiss before letting him go and rolling off the bed. "Come on, I know you're hungry," he said and held out his hand.

John squeaked indignantly when Sherlock pinned him down, and kissed him back just as firmly. He followed Sherlock out of bed and locked their fingers together. "You know you could never upset me. And if you did I would let you know."

Sherlock squeezed John's hand and smiled, "Good." He led them down to the dining hall where breakfast was waiting. His mother and father were sitting at the table eating. "Good morning, boys! I trust you slept well?" Mrs. Holmes greeted them and smiled.

John grinned back at them. "I always sleep well when I'm here," he said with a quick glance at his fiance. "Good morning to you too."

Sherlock walked them both to the table and let go of John's hand to pull out a chair for him. He took a seat next to him, his mother on his other side.

"No nightmares last night, son?" His father asked and Sherlock looked at him in shock, "How did you...?" Siger raised a hand, "Sherlock, it's hard for me not to notice when you wake up in the middle of the night screaming. I didn't come in because I knew you'd want to be left alone." Sherlock sighed and nodded, "yeah... no nightmares last night," he said softly. He really didn't want John to know just how bad the nightmares were, but he supposed it was too late now.

John took the seat offered him and grabbed a few pieces of toast and some bacon and eggs. He turned to look at Sherlock, frowning when his father said that he was actually screaming from the nightmares. He swallowed what was in his mouth, and put a hand on Sherlock's knee. "You can call me next time," he said softly. "I don't want you to have to go through that alone."

Sherlock smiled as best he could and nodded, "I will, I promise." He grabbed a piece of toast and started nibbling on it, ignoring John's glare when he didn't eat more. After breakfast was over, Sherlock went back to his room with John and started to change into his swimming shorts in silence.

John sighed when Sherlock decidedly wouldn't eat any more. He followed him back to his room and started to change. But when Sherlock was unusually quiet, he stepped over to the other boy and hugged him from behind. "You alright?" he asked, nuzzling his face in Sherlock's back.

Sherlock covered John's hands with his own and leaned back into him. "I just... I didn't want you to know I woke up screaming." He sighed and tightened his grip on the other boy, closing his eyes.

John kissed Sherlock's shoulder blade and gently rocked him. "I don't want you to hide that from me. If you have a problem, I'm supposed to make it better." He turned Sherlock around so that he could look into the other boy's eyes. "I know you don't want to talk about the dreams or the memories, but I want to be able to comfort you when they upset you."

Sherlock nodded, "I know... I guess I'm just so used to having to hide it and having to deal with it alone." He leaned down and kissed John on the lips, "I'll try to be open with you about it from now on."

John grinned. "Good. That's all I want." He gave Sherlock a quick squeeze and then finished getting into his swim shorts.

As soon as they were finished dressing, Sherlock took John's hand and led him outside and down to the pool area. It was a closed in pool with glass walls and a glass roof, the hot tub sitting off to the side and a sauna further back. They had a diving board and a slide, as well as a shed with pool toys and floats in it. Sherlock laid his towel on one of the chairs and went to the steps to start getting in.

John smiled wide at the sight and tossed his towel next to Sherlock's, running straight for the diving board. He bounced a few times, then jumped in, bringing his knees up in a 'cannonball' at the last second. He surfaced again a moment later and swam over to Sherlock in the shallow end.

Sherlock smiled as he watched John dive and swam over to meet him as he came back up. "Well... When are you joining the Olympic diving team?" he teased and wrapped his arms around the other boy.

John laughed and returned the embrace. "After I write a novel and go to the moon." He poked his tongue out at Sherlock, then wiggled away, floating on his back.

"Oh really? I look forward to reading it," Sherlock said and swam close to John. He splashed the other boy in the face before swimming off into the deep end, laughing.

"Hey!" John flipped over, spluttering, and swam after Sherlock. He dove under the other boy and popped up in front of him, splashing him quickly and then diving away.

Sherlock chased John around the pool until he cornered him in the shallow end, pinning his wrists to the wall. "Alright... Surrender now, or else," he said breathlessly.

John had thought he was a pretty good swimmer, but Sherlock was fast, and he soon found himself trapped. He looked at him in challenge, a smirk on his face. "Do your worst."

Sherlock grinned widely and dunked one of his hands under the water. He grabbed onto John's crotch and started stroking him underwater through his trunks.

John gasped, clutching at Sherlock. "Oh...oh God..." He rocked forward into his fiance's hand. "Are you sure...this is a good idea?"

"Not at all," Sherlock murmured and smirked, "that's what makes it even more fun. The risk of being caught," he leaned forward and nipped at John's bottom lip as he continued to stroke him.

John whimpered and clung to Sherlock's shoulders, digging his nails into the wet flesh. He was absolutely right; the scandal factor was pretty hot. He rocked his hips in time with his lover's hand, but the friction through his swim shorts wasn't enough. "P-please...more, Sherlock..."

Sherlock leaned in and locked their lips together as he untied John's trunks. He slipped his hand underneath and started stroking him again. His tongue slid against the other boy's and he groaned as his hand moved along John's aroused flesh.

John moaned into Sherlock's mouth, barely able to contribute anything to the kiss because his body was so focused on the feeling below his waist. Being wanked off underwater was something totally new, and it felt spectacular.

Sherlock pulled away from the kiss and sucked on John's lower lip before letting it go. "God, you're so gorgeous," he said huskily. "I just love the way you look when you're like this, so open and vulnerable... All for me."

John whimpered, his head falling back in ecstasy. Sherlock knew just what to do to get him all worked up. He could barely speak through all the sounds the other boy was evoking from him. But he did managed a soft moan of his lover's name.

Sherlock growled softly and pulled both of their trunks down past their hips. The sounds his lover was making caused him to be aroused as well and he wanted to join in. He stepped closer ad pressed both of them together, wrapping his long fingers around their lengths. "Oh God..." he moaned loudly.

John cried out when his lover's cock was pressed to his and he bucked into Sherlock's hand. He scratched down Sherlock's back, leaving red trails in the pale skin, and buried his face in his fiance's neck.

"Shit... _**oh**_, John... C-close," Sherlock whimpered and rolled his hips in time with the other boy's. He swiped his thumb across both of their slits and his breath hitched at the feeling.

John bit down on Sherlock's neck out of reflex. He was close too, the sensations all coming together in a whirl of amazing pleasure. He bucked hard against Sherlock, trying to get more friction from his hand and length. "F-fuck...ah...Sh-Sherlock..."

Sherlock cried out when John sank his teeth into him and gripped tighter on their cocks. He moaned and bucked his hips faster as he approached his release. Groaning, he finally came, leaving trails of his release in the water.

John couldn't hold back anymore as he heard Sherlock coming. He tossed his head back and climaxed, his release mixing with Sherlock's and swirling between them. He slumped forward into his lover, closing his eyes. "Damn...You are amazing..."

"Mmm... So are you," Sherlock replied and leaned down to kiss John on the temple. "Somehow we're going to have to clean this up," he murmured, looking down at the water.

John looked down as well. "Hmm...Do you have a bucket or something? We could just scoop the water out." He chuckled a little watching the way it moved.

Sherlock laughed softly and got out of the pool to grab an empty chlorine bucket. He scooped it out and tossed the water off to the side. "There... Better." He sat on the edge of the pool and dipped his feet in, "do you want to get in the hot tub with me? I'll give you a massage." Sherlock grinned down at the other boy.

John looked up at Sherlock, resting his arms on the edge of the pool and kicking his feet absently. "Sounds good to me. You have magic hands, you know. I'm convinced it's from that violin playing." He moved to the steps, fixing his trunks on the way, and climbed out of the pool.

"It's probably because of them being so long too," Sherlock said and smirked. He followed John to the hot tub and sat down in the water, settling his fiancé between his legs and starting to massage his shoulders.

John flinched a little at the temperature change, but quickly relaxed, leaning back against Sherlock with a lazy smile. "Yes, I agree. Mmm, that feels good..." He closed his eyes and let Sherlock work out the knots in his shoulders.

Sherlock focused on the most tense areas and leaned forward to kiss the wet skin as he worked. "I can't get over how sexy you look when you're soaking wet," he murmured.

John hummed in content and opened one eye to peer back at Sherlock. "Is that why you like fucking in the shower so much?" he teased.

Sherlock chuckled, "yes it is. Although... I haven't had a chance to fuck _**you**_ in the shower. That will have to be remedied soon." His eyes fixed on a drop of water running down the centre of John's back and he leaned in to catch it with his tongue.

John shivered a little, pressing back further into Sherlock. "God, Sherlock. You drive me crazy sometimes." He flipped himself over so he was straddling Sherlock's hips. "And I absolutely love it."

"Do you now?" Sherlock said cheekily and wrapped his arms around the other boy. "Well... why don't you show me?" He smirked and raised his eyebrow, challenging him.

John bit his lip as his cock twitched. He was certainly building stamina now that he was having sex regularly. "It might take a bit more to work me up again. Maybe you could help me out," he whispered, leaning in to nip Sherlock's earlobe.

Sherlock groaned, "maybe if I tell you how horny you make me... Would that help?" he asked, lowering his tone.

"Yes. Tell me every detail," John murmured, rocking slightly. He just couldn't help getting all hot and bothered around Sherlock, even when they'd just gotten off. Blame teenage boy hormones and the fact that his fiance was damn sexy.

"God, John... You just get me so hot, I want to rip your clothes off every time I see you. Even when I watch you eat, I just want to take you. Every part of your body turns me on," Sherlock groaned and gripped tighter to John's hips, grinding up into him.

John made a soft sound and moved his hips harder, already feeling like he had half an erection. "I know just what you mean," he said, voice deep. "Whenever I see you I have to stop myself from getting hard. You're just...unbelievable. I just love your body, your skin, your shape. I love the feeling of being pressed up against you." He dipped his head down to bite Sherlock's pulse. "No one else has ever made me feel like this. Ever."

"I'm glad," Sherlock whispered, pulling John's face closer, "I want to make you forget having anyone else. God, it makes me sound so selfish, but I do." He locked their lips together and moaned as their tongues collided.

John groaned and sucked on Sherlock's tongue as it invaded his mouth. He was pretty much ready now and continued to rock into his lover's lap, the friction evading him because of the resistance of the water. He whined and pulled back to go back down to Sherlock's neck. "I don't remember their names, I don't even remember their faces. I don't know what it feels like to be had by anyone but you."

Sherlock growled and turned them so John's back was pressed against the wall of the hot tub and he was settled between his lover's legs. He swiftly pulled down both of their shorts and rutted desperately against John.

John gasped and then cried out as Sherlock was suddenly on top of him. "Ohh, fuck. Yes!" He started sucking right on Sherlock's pulse, enjoying the speeding beats that he knew were because of him.

"_**Fuck**_ I want more..." Sherlock groaned and in a few seconds he was straddling his lover's hips and guiding John's cock to his entrance. He didn't bother with preparing himself and just sat down completely, crying out as he was penetrated.

John groaned loudly, his eyes rolling back in his head as Sherlock engulfed him. He was so tight, it was incredible. His hips bucked up out of his control, the friction on his cock from Sherlock's tightness driving him crazy. "Yes...Oh, God, _**yes**_!"

"Ohhh, John... _**yes**_!" Sherlock moaned and gripped onto the other boy's shoulders, moving up and down as fast as he could. "_**Christ**_, you're amazing. I'm s-so lucky to have such an amazing lover. Y-you're just so..." He let out a loud cry and threw his head back as he reached the right angle to pound into his prostate with each thrust. "F-fuck..." he breathed, beyond words now.

John kept thrust up to meet Sherlock coming down, and he moved his lips right next to Sherlock's ear. "You're so fucking hot like this," he breathed, knowing that Sherlock liked it when he talked during sex. "I love feeling you clenching around me. I love the way you say my name." He reached down to tug on Sherlock's cock, swiping his thumb over the slit.

"Oh _**shit**_, yes..." Sherlock whimpered and kept slamming down on his lover's cock. John's words alone were bringing him closer to orgasm. "More... t-tell me more," he begged.

John bit his earlobe and then went back to speaking. "I want to have you everywhere. I want to pin you against the wall, I want to find a secluded corner of the school. Anywhere we are, I would throw you down and fuck you so hard."

"Ohhh, yes, John..." Sherlock moaned, each word making his cock twitch in excitement. He could feel himself right on the edge, about to go over with just one more word from his lover.

John squeezed Sherlock's cock as he felt the twitches and used all his power to buck up into his lover. "You have no idea what you do to me, Sherlock. You're so fucking incredible." God, he was so close. But he wanted Sherlock to come first.

"_**J-John**_!" Sherlock screamed his lover's name as he came apart. His voice echoed throughout the room and his muscles convulsed around John's cock as he finished.

John cried out and thrust up into Sherlock as he came, soon finding his own release inside of his lover. He kept moving until he was totally spent and then slumped back and pulled Sherlock against him.

Sherlock wrapped his arms around John and closed his eyes, his chest still heaving. "God, that was wonderful." He lifted his head after a while and smiled down at his lover before cupping his cheek and kissing him softly.

John returned the kiss, feeling warm and breathless. When he pulled away he grinned up at Sherlock, then glanced down to see the other boy's second release floating between them. "Looks like we've got to clean the hot tub now too," he said with a laugh.

Sherlock laughed, "yeah, looks like it." He caressed John's face and smiled, "I love you so much. I can't even express to you what I feel for you, John. You're the most wonderful man," he murmured and leaned in to kiss him.

John hummed happily and kissed him back. "I love you, too. You're so perfect. Everything I've always wanted." He gave him another few quick kisses.

Sherlock pulled away and sighed, "I can't wait to be married to you. I want the world to know you're mine forever," he said and ran his thumb across John's cheek.

"I know," John said, glancing at the ring on his left hand. "And I can call you my husband. Sherlock Holmes-Watson."

"That's _**Mr.**_ Sherlock Holmes-Watson to you," Sherlock said and poked John in the stomach. He laughed and got out of the hot tub to grab the bucket again and clean out the water.

"Well," John said with a playful huff. He pulled himself out of the hot tub after Sherlock and grabbed his towel. His skin was pretty wrinkly at this point and he figured it was best to get out.

Sherlock scooped the dirty water out of the hot tub and glanced at the clock on the wall. He grabbed his own towel and wrapped it around his waist, then grabbed John's hand, pulling him off towards the sauna. "Come on, we'll dry off quicker in here. We have to meet with the lawyer in an hour."

John followed Sherlock into the sauna, letting out a puff of breath at how hot it was. "Wow. This is really cool. You could run a hotel or something in your house with this setup." He sat down on the bench with Sherlock and grinned at him.

Sherlock leaned his head back and closed his eyes, "at one point mum wanted to have a bed and breakfast, but dad doesn't like the idea of having complete strangers in the house." He scooted closer to John and put his arm on the back of the bench behind the other boy.

"Well, I can't blame him for that." John leaned back as well, enjoying the heat and the closeness with Sherlock. It wasn't long before he was sweating steadily.

"Okay, I think we should be good now. Wanna head up to the house and grab a quick shower before the lawyer gets here?" Sherlock asked and stood, holding his hand out for John to take.

John stood and took the offered hand. "Sure. Just as long as you mind your hands," he said with a wink.

Sherlock laughed, "I think I can manage. After all, you did get me off twice in less than an hour. A new record for us, yeah?" He grinned at John and led them back towards the house.

"Yeah. A new record for teenage boys everywhere probably," John said with a chuckle.


	29. Chapter 29

Author's Note: This chapter starts with smut, but there's a bit of angst later on. Enjoy!

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John followed Sherlock inside and up to his room, then through to the adjoining bathroom. He slipped out of his trunks and stepped into the shower with Sherlock.

Sherlock grabbed a wash rag and soaped it up, turning to wash John's chest. "Okay, so I'm bending the rule a little... I'm touching you, but not sexually." He grinned and continued to wash his lover's torso, playfully tweaking his nipple through the rag.

John shook his head a little. "Fine have it your wa-eep!" He jumped and squeaked as Sherlock pinched his nipple, hand coming up to swat Sherlock away afterwards. "So that's how it's going to be?" he said with a smirk, and reached across to get both of Sherlock's at once.

"Yes, it is... Ow!" Sherlock grabbed John by the wrists, "not fair," he said and stuck his tongue out. He let go of the other boy's hands, "no more," he murmured and brought his hands up to rub his sore nipples.

John grinned wryly, stepping closer. "Aw, I'm sorry." He bent a little. "Let me kiss you and make it better." He kissed one nipple, feather light, then moved to the other. He glanced up to see how Sherlock was reacting.

Sherlock inhaled sharply and shivered at the light kisses. "Um..." he cleared his throat, "th-thank you." He started washing himself this time, turning away and trying to calm himself. John could be such a tease and he refused to give in this time.

John laughed a little and grabbed another rag, soaping it up and slowly washing Sherlock's back. He trailed the rag from his shoulders, down the expanse of his back, to just above his arse. He couldn't help it, Sherlock was just too much fun to tease.

Sherlock bit his lip, but continued washing. _Don't give in, don't give in_, he kept repeating in his head and took controlled breaths. He tried not to show any weakness to show John that what he was doing was working.

John pouted a little when Sherlock didn't seem to be reacting. He continued to wash downward, passing over the curve of his arse and to his legs, spending just longer on his thighs than the rest of them. Yes, he had said for Sherlock to keep his hands off. But he never made a stipulation for himself.

Sherlock groaned and felt his cock twitch at the teasing touches and suddenly he couldn't take it anymore. He got an idea and reached down with his soap slicked hand, wrapping his fingers around himself and started stroking. He turned around, head leaned back and eyes closed as he continued to move his hand.

John licked his lips when Sherlock turned around with his hand on his cock. He leaned in close, lips to Sherlock's ear again, and took his own length in hand, starting to stroke. "The best part about teasing you is watching as you slowly lose control," he whispered to his lover. "You try and try, but you just can't resist me."

Sherlock groaned and turned his head to nip John's earlobe. "You can't resist me either, don't deny it. I bet you're imagining me touching you right now, aren't you? That it's my hand on you, stroking you," he murmured huskily. Two could play that game and he knew how much John loved his voice.

John moaned softly and nodded. "Fuck, yes...You have me wrapped around your finger," he breathed. He pressed his hips in closer to Sherlock's, moving his hand away and then grabbing both their erections, stroking them together. "But why imagine when I can have the real thing?"

"/Shit/," Sherlock breathed and couldn't help but buck his hips against his lover's. "I can't believe... how horny I am on a regular basis now. The things you do to me, John... /God/, you're just entirely irresistible."

"I know," John said, groaning softly as he kept moving his hand on both of them. "God...I just can't stop myself..." He rocked his hips, their cocks rubbing together in his hand.

Sherlock let out a long moan, "It's a good thing... We both have such a hunger for each other. We'll never get tired of it... or bored... or want anyone else," he breathed and nipped at John's earlobe again.

"Never...Though we probably won't be able to go three times in so short a span when we get older," John said with a breathy chuckle. He choked out another groan, already feeling close. It wasn't too hard to finish this time, since it hadn't been that long since they had done it in the hot tub. He rubbed his thumb over their slits, gasping at the feeling.

"Well, we better do it as much as we can while we're still young," Sherlock groaned. He felt himself hurtling towards the end and rolled his hips faster. "C-close, John..." he breathed.

John groaned again, tightening his grip on their cocks, swiping hard over their slits. "Me t-too...Oh /fuck/..." He was shaking as he bucked his hips and cried out.

Sherlock held on as long as he could but was soon coming hard and fast across John's hand. He cried out his lover's name as he rode through the pleasure.

John waited for Sherlock and finally let himself go, spilling out and mixing with Sherlock's release until there was a mess of white on John's hand. He panted heavily and slumped against his fiance, but still had enough energy to lift his hand to his lips and lick it clean, savoring their combined taste.

Sherlock waited until John was finished cleaning his hand and then he pulled him closer by the back of his head, locking their lips together. He hummed into the kiss as their tongues slid together. When he pulled back he had a smile on his face. "I never expected to enjoy that taste, but I really do."

John rested his head on Sherlock's shoulder after the kiss, trailing his fingers along his chest. "My thoughts exactly." He forced himself up after a moment and faced the shower spray. "I think that's about all I can manage today to be honest with you. I feel kind of exhausted now."

Sherlock hummed in agreement and moved forward to grab onto John's hips, kissing the top of his shoulder. "Yeah, I don't think I could spare another drop." He chuckled and rested his chin on the other boy's shoulder.

John smiled and leaned back against him, turning his head to kiss his cheek. "I love you."

"I love you, too John." Sherlock helped the other boy finish washing and once they were both clean, he stepped out of the shower and grabbed them some towels. As they were getting dressed, he turned to John and hugged him tightly. "Thank you..." he whispered and kept his hold on the other boy.

John returned the embrace immediately, holding Sherlock close. "You don't have to keep thanking me, love," he said softly, pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. "It's what I'm here for." Though he didn't know exactly what Sherlock was thanking him for, he had a feeling.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to," Sherlock murmured, pressing his face into John's hair. "You saved me... In so many ways and you're testifying, bringing up those memories again just do I don't have to testify." He pulled back and smiled down at John, cupping his cheek, "I don't know how you do it. You're so brave."

John blushed a little, shrugging. "It's easy when you have someone to be brave for. I would do anything for you, anything you ask me to, anything to protect you." He leaned up to kiss Sherlock tenderly. "You make me brave."

Sherlock returned the kiss and beamed down at the other boy before connecting their lips again. He pulled away again with a sigh and grabbed John's hand, lacing their fingers together. "It's time to meet with the lawyer again," he said and squeezed his hand.

John's face went solemn. "I'm ready." And he was. After the day before, he was prepared for how emotional this could be. And if he could get through this, he could get through the trial.

Sherlock led them to his father's office where he was waiting with Ms. Rodin again. She greeted them and they took a seat at the table.

"Now John, I want you to be aware that the defence lawyer will pay no regard to your feelings. He will say and do anything to get you to crack. Nothing will be off limits, do you understand?" Ms. Rodin looked at John seriously, her hands resting on top of her crossed legs.

John nodded firmly. "I understand." He kept a tight hold on Sherlock's hand, though. That was one thing he was going to miss during the trial.

Helen nodded once and stood, smoothing out her skirt. "John... Before the second attack on Sherlock, had you ever spoken with Miss Morstan?"

John shook his head. "I hadn't even been going to the school that long before the first attack. Maybe a week."

Helen nodded and shrugged, "didn't you find it a bit suspicious that she asked to speak with you privately?"

John flushed a little in guilt. That was just the thing; he hadn't. "No, I didn't."

"So... After you stopped Sebastian from attacking Sherlock on Friday... It didn't occur to you that he may try again? You just... left Sherlock there, unprotected." She was being relentless now and Sherlock gripped tighter to John's hand.

"Well it's not like I saw Moran and then left. I had no idea that he and Mary even talked," John said, feeling a bit defensive, and more guilty. He had been stupid to leave Sherlock like that.

"So when you returned, you just ran up and started attacking the boys surrounding Sherlock, correct?" Helen was pacing back and forth now, hands clasped behind her back. Sherlock was feeling a bit intimidated by now and he wasn't even being questioned. He could only imagine what John was going through.

It was strange to see this woman, who just yesterday was being nice to them, turn around and sound so accusitory. The longer she acted this way, the more defensive John felt. "Yes. Because they were attacking him."

"So you had no contact with Sebastian at all that day before this? No indication that he wasn't happy about you two being together? He didn't try to say anything to you or Sherlock?" Sherlock swallowed thickly, remembering what had happened at lunch, but kept quiet.

"Well, I had seen him that morning and he sort of gave us a look when we were kissing, but other than that, no, he didn't talk to us." John glanced at Sherlock for confirmation.

Sherlock cleared his throat, "well... he um, did come up to me at lunch." Helen raise her eyebrow,

"Time out... He did? What did he say to you?"

Sherlock sighed, "he said 'I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to make John a freak like you.' and he told me that I better back off."

John raised his eyebrows in surprise. He remembered asking Sherlock when he came back to sit down if anything had happened, but now it seemed that he had lied. "Sherlock, why didn't you say anything?" he asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Sherlock shrugged, "I didn't think it was anything to worry about. Sebastian always made tons of empty threats. I didn't expect him to actually try anything." He looked down at his hands as he spoke, fidgeting a little.

"Is that all he said?" Ms. Rodin asked. Sherlock bit his lip and hesitated, but shook his head. "When I told him that I wasn't going to stop dating John, he said... that we'd have to do this 'the hard way'."

"If I knew he had threatened you I wouldn't have left you alone." John dropped his hand and took one of Sherlock's again. He still felt like it was his fault, though. Even though he hadn't known, he should have had better foresight.

Sherlock squeezed John's hand, "I know... I'm sorry." He felt tears coming to his eyes, guilt pooling in his stomach. If he had told John the truth that day, none of this might have happened.

Ms. Rodin sighed, "I'm not sure what else we can go over today. I think we all need to regroup and meet again on Monday. If you think of any other details you've left out, write them down and tell me. We can't afford to be surprised by anything in court." She gathered her things and walked out the door, Siger following behind.

Sherlock closed his eyes, a few tears falling and he sighed raggedly. "I'm so sorry for not telling you," he whispered.

John sighed, pulling Sherlock into his arms. "It's alright. Though I wish you had, because then maybe I wouldn't have been stupid enough to follow Mary." He pulled back to wipe his fiance's tears.

Sherlock nuzzled into John's neck, "You're not stupid, I am. I should have told you. If I had said something... none of this would have happened." He shut his eyes tighter as tears started running down his face.

"No," John said. "Ms. Rodin said herself, Moran attacked you once and he would try to do it again. He would have kept trying until he succeeded." He rubbed Sherlock's back, kissing his temple.

"I just can't wait for this whole trial to be over so Moran can be out of our lives for good." Sherlock lifted his head and kissed John on the lips, "I don't want him to torture either of us anymore, but I can't stop the memories..."

John kissed Sherlock back, running a hand through his hair. "I know, love. But you have me now, and I'll always be there to make you feel better." He stayed quiet for a moment, thinking. He wished there was some way that they could eliminate the memories from Sherlock's mind.

"You're so good to me," Sherlock said and sighed happily. He stood and took John's hand, leading him to his bedroom. Without a word, he started undressing and got under the covers. "Come here... I don't want to do anything sexual, I just want to lay with you." He looked up at the other boy with a smile.

John didn't know what to think when Sherlock started undressing, but then smiled and took off his own clothes. He left just his pants on and climbed into bed with Sherlock. He snuggled up against his fiance and pulled the duvet up over them.

Sherlock instantly wrapped his arms around the other boy and tangled their legs together loosely. He ran his fingers through John's hair and pulled him in for a slow kiss, keeping it soft and loving. "I love you," he whispered and let his eyes take in every detail of his lover's face from this close up.

John smiled at the soft touches and kiss and felt his chest swelling in happiness. "I love you, too." He could stay like this forever and be perfectly content.

Sherlock beamed at his fiance and stroked his face, memorising every detail. His blue eyes, his full cheeks, his thin, beautiful lips. He let his fingers graze across every feature, then leaned in to kiss his eyelids before letting his lips touch every inch of the other boy's face.

John flushed a little as Sherlock's piercing eyes studied him, and it only increased at the shower of kisses. Finally John grabbed his face. "Sherlock..." He giggled and shook his head. "You're such a sap." He held Sherlock in place, kissing his high cheekbones, his bright blue eyes, his full cupid's bow lips, and every other part of his pale, gorgeous face.

Sherlock chuckled softly, but stayed still as John returned the attention. "Now who's the sap?" He let his fiancé kiss every inch of his face and slid his hand down John's side. He touched every inch and slid around to his back, wanting to touch every part of his lover's body.

John poked his tongue out at Sherlock and then moved to kiss along the line of his jaw. He hummed softly as Sherlock's hands roamed his body, and he let his own trail over the lithe form of his lover. He loved the feel of Sherlock under his fingertips. His skin was so soft and smooth, like nothing he'd ever felt before.

Sherlock moved to nuzzle and kiss John's neck as his hands continued their journey across his body. "So beautiful," he whispered against his lover's skin. Sherlock had never experienced such affection and love as he did right now. The gentle exploration of each other's bodies warmed his heart.

John got shivers down his spine and flushed again as Sherlock's lips found his neck. He brought his hands back up, bringing them up to Sherlock's hair and threading through his curls. He gently massaged his fiance's scalp, knowing that it would feel good in his sensitive skin.

Sherlock hummed in content and mouthed his way over John's collarbone to kiss his shoulder. He brought both hands to the other boy's waist, fingers skimming across his hip bones. "You have no idea... how much I love every centimetre of you," he murmured and continued to kiss along John's upper torso. "You're just so perfect... so handsome... and I'm so lucky to call you mine."

John kept moving his fingers along Sherlock's head, combing through his dark curls. He pressed in closer to his lover's lips, arching his body and letting out a soft sound. He dropped a few kisses into Sherlock's hair, all he could reach in this position. "You're too good to me."

Sherlock looked up, locking gazes with the other boy. He shook his head, "I could never be too good to you. There will never be enough words or enough actions for me to express to you just how special you are to me. I told you that you saved me in more ways than one and that's true... John, you not only saved me from Sebastian..." he took one of his hands and cupped his fiance's cheek, "you saved me from /myself/." He leaned in to press a loving kiss to John's lips, closing his eyes and focusing his entire being into it.

John returned the kiss firmly. He never thought that someone's words alone could bring him to tears but Sherlock had just done so. He pulled back after a moment and caught his gaze again. "Sherlock...I never thought that anyone I'd ever meet could mean so much to me, or would care about me in return the same." He sniffled and let out a soft chuckle. "And I'm so lucky that you were there to be saved. If we had never met...I know I could never have been as happy with anyone else." He tightened his arms around Sherlock, tucking his face into the crook of his long neck.

Sherlock felt tears come to his own eyes as he returned John's embrace. "I am so incredibly happy you found me, love. I can't imagine my life without you in it." He pulled away and kissed John on the

mouth again. "I'm glad that you're happy with me," he murmured against his lips.

"I am. And I'm glad that I can make you happy too." John kissed Sherlock again and again, soft and tender.

Sherlock hummed into the kisses, letting his hand stroke along his lover's hip. They continued to kiss and touch until Sherlock finally fell asleep, head tucked under John's chin.

John followed soon after, snuggled warmly with Sherlock and completely relaxed.


	30. Chapter 30

Author's Note: Even more angst in this chapter! Enjoy and review!

* * *

Sunday flew by and soon they were at school again. John found himself rather distracted all through his classes as he thought about meeting with Ms. Rodin again that afternoon. He had gotten so defensive when she started asking questions like the other lawyer. If he did that in court, would he look guilty? How would the real lawyer react? He tried to stop himself thinking like that. Sherlock needed him to do this. He had promised to protect him and be brave.

Sherlock could tell John was nervous about this afternoon and tried his best to be comforting. He tried getting his mind off it by helping him with schoolwork, but it didn't seem to be working very well. By the time the last bell rang, Sherlock was just as nervous as John. He grabbed the other boy's arm before they got into the car and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I love you, no matter what happens. You will always be my hero. Always," he murmured into John's hair.

John looked up at Sherlock and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Sherlock." He leaned up to kiss him. "I love you, too. I promise, I'll be fine," he said, only half convinced of himself.

Sherlock pulled back, taking John's hand and squeezing it before they got into the car. He kept a hand at the small of the other boy's back as they walked towards the house and led them up the stairs to his father's office.

Ms. Rodin was shuffling papers and had moved all chairs but one to the other side of the room. She looked up as they entered and smiled, "John, take a seat here next to the table. Sherlock, I need you to sit over there." She pointed to one of the chairs at the far end of the room and Sherlock swallowed but obeyed, looking back nervously at John.

John knew what this was. Getting him used to not having Sherlock right next to him as he was questioned. He smiled reassuringly at his fiance, and then sat in the chair Ms. Rodin had indicated.

"Now," Ms. Rodin said, setting down the papers, "did you think of anything else you may have left out? Sherlock?" Sherlock shook his head and Helen looked back at the other boy. "John? What about you? Any details you may have left out before? Anything at all, no matter how small."

John shook his head. "Nothing." He glanced at Sherlock again and smiled. He was sure that after Saturday that he would surely have told him anything that he might have been keeping before.

Helen nodded, "right, okay... The trial is this Friday, as you know. So... let's go through the rest of it, shall we?" She started pacing again, "now, let's talk about the morning that Sebastian broke into Sherlock's house. He came in, holding a gun at you both, correct?"

John nodded, keeping a strong front. "Yes, he did."

"Nothing was said beforehand? He just... pulled a gun on you?" Sherlock cleared his throat and Helen looked back at him, "What?"

He sighed and fidgeted, "Well... I did ask him what he was doing there. And we didn't know he had a gun right when we saw him."

John nodded in agreement. "I told him to get out. And, uh...kind of told him that I'd be able to take him down since he didn't have the rest of the rugby team with him." He'd almost forgotten about that. That made him seem like he was provoking him. _Dammit, John. You and your mouth. _

Helen crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised an eyebrow, "kind of? You 'kind of' told him? John..." She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, "these are the kinds of things you need to tell me! If you threatened him... they'll try to make it seem like self defence. You didn't actually _**do**_ anything to him did you? Like, start running at him or anything?"

"No," John said, shaking his head. "Neither of us touched him, or moved. I pushed Sherlock behind me and that was it." That much at least would prove that Sebastian was the one who struck first.

Ms. Rodin sighed in relief, "okay, all right... good. Now..." she cleared her throat, "when he pulled the gun out, you said you tried to reason with him. What did you say?"

John thought back to the conversation. "Well, he was saying that it was our fault, that we ruined his life. I said that he was the one that ruined it because he came after Sherlock and I. And I told him that he shouldn't take it out on us because he couldn't deal with the consequences."

Helen nodded, "then he became angry and pulled the trigger?" Sherlock was biting his lip from his chair, nervous for his fiance as it got back to the part where he got shot. He wished he was there by his side to comfort him this time.

John's eyes immediately darted to Sherlock, watching him move and breathe for a moment, reassuring himself that he was alive. He closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. "Yes. He shouted at me to shut up, called us freaks and..." He swallowed. "Pulled the trigger."

"Then what happened?" Helen asked and continued to pace. Sherlock was wringing his hands together and kept eye contact with John, trying to offer any comfort he could with his look.

John felt a bit better when he caught Sherlock's gaze. He was past the tough part now. "He dropped the gun and ran. That was the last I saw of him."

"And Sherlock? Where was he hit, can you show me?" Helen asked and stopped pacing. Sherlock swallowed, he thought they could just move on, but apparently Ms. Rodin wanted every little detail.

John frowned, knowing that Sherlock probably didn't want to have to look at it again; he didn't want to either. But he gave him a smile and reached out towards him. "It's alright, love."

Sherlock stood and lifted his shirt to show the wound on his side. Helen looked over at him before turning back, "okay, continue please, tell me what happened next."

John didn't expect Ms. Rodin to want more, but he obliged. "Well...I, um..." He swallowed thickly as the memory brought up all the emotion he'd felt that day. "I held Sherlock as he was bleeding and...he went unconscious." A tear escaped his eye and he wiped it furiously. "Then the paramedics came and the police and Mr. Holmes."

Helen smiled reassuringly at John and reached out to pat his hand, "you did good, John. That will be all." She motioned for Sherlock to bring his chair over to the table, which he did as fast as he could. He sat down and hugged John before turning back to Ms. Rodin, grabbing the other boy's hand and lacing their fingers together.

"Now, boys... I want you to realise that I will do my best to help you get this monster behind bars, but... You have to be prepared for the alternative. There's no way for me to know all the questions they may ask you and they may not be as nice as I was. Be prepared for anything, that's all I want you to do. If you're prepared and stay strong, then we'll have no problems." She smiled at the boys and reached out to grab their joined hands, "keep each other close, that will be key to your success in this trial as well." She smiled, tears coming to her eyes as she stood and gathered her things.

Sherlock watched as she put the papers in her briefcase and right as she was about to leave, he spoke up. "He doesn't deserve you," he said firmly.

Ms. Rodin turned, "how did you?..."

Sherlock shook his head and stood, "the tan line on your left ring finger, for starters. Along with the way you looked at me and John ever since you met us. You seem like a very strong woman and any man who would let you go, especially treat you as badly as he did... doesn't deserve you."

Helen smiled and nodded, "thank you, Sherlock," she said softly before walking out the door.

John was glad to finally be able to hug Sherlock and he held him tightly as soon as he was over. He listened and nodded firmly after Ms. Rodin had spoken and gave her a quick 'thank you' as she was leaving.

He watched in surprise, though, at the short exchange between his fiance and their lawyer. Once again, Sherlock's genius had seen something he probably wouldn't have noticed himself. He squeezed his hand as she left the room and leaned over to peck him on the cheek. "That was very sweet of you," he said softly, resting his head on the other boy's shoulder.

Sherlock shrugged, "she deserved to hear it. No one should have to deal with the abuse she obviously went through." He looked over at John and smiled, "okay, maybe not _**that**_ obvious... but it was to me." He kissed John on the forehead, "what would you like to do now, love? Did your father say you could spend the night?"

John shook his head. "He said I need to come home at least a few times a week," he said with a chuckle. "And especially during the school week."

Sherlock whined and buried his face in John's neck, "but I don't _**want**_ you to go." He wrapped his arms tightly around the other boy, "I'm kidnapping you, you're not allowed to leave."

"Sherlock..." John rolled his eyes fondly. "I love you, darling, but I have to go. I wish I didn't have to."

Sherlock sighed and pulled away, "fine... If you insist." He stood and walked towards the door, calling out for Mycroft. Then he closed the door and 'accidentally' knocked off a cup of pens that was sitting on the table next to the door. "Damn," Sherlock said and bent over to start picking them up, making sure his arse was pointed straight in John's direction.

John stood when Sherlock did and turned to follow him out. But when Sherlock bent over, he found himself a bit...distracted. No, he knew what Sherlock was doing. He wasn't going to give in. He walked right past Sherlock, resisting an urge to smack his arse, and out the door. "Nice try, love."

Sherlock pouted and followed John out the door, staying silent. He grabbed his jacket from his room and threw it on, shoving his hands in the pockets. He opened the car door for John and got in on the other side, looking out the window as they drove away.

John looked over at Sherlock as the car started to move, feeling guilty. He hadn't wanted to hurt Sherlock's feelings, but he knew that if they got into anything he'd never make it home. He scooted over towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Sherlock?"

Sherlock kept staring out the window with a frown on his face. Of course he had wanted to have a quick snogging session before John had to leave, but the real reason he wanted him to stay was much more important. He was afraid that once he had to sleep alone again, the nightmares would return.

John tried to look at Sherlock's face, or get him to turn around, but he was solidly staying in his position. "Come on, love, I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to do anything, but I was at your house for three nights." It didn't make sense for Sherlock to be this upset about him not giving into his desires. Unless it was something else..."Talk to me? Please?"

Sherlock shook his head and quickly reached up to wipe away the tears that were forming in his eyes. He didn't want John to worry and, in his mind at least, it was better for him to think he was mad than scared.

John let his hand fall away, feeling terrible. He sighed and turned away. "I'm sorry." He looked out the opposite window, trying to understand what he could have done wrong to make Sherlock so upset.

"It's not your fault, it's mine," Sherlock murmured, still looking out the window. He didn't mean to make John feel _that_ bad. He inched his hand over closer to the other boy on the seat.

John looked over and took Sherlock's hand, swearing he heard a bit of a choke in his fiance's voice. "Are you sure?" He laced his fingers through the other boy's. "I won't be able to sleep if I know you're mad at me." He actually wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep well at all without Sherlock tonight. And Sherlock probably wouldn't either... Oh. Was that what this was about? "Sherlock...do you want to stay at my place tonight?"

Sherlock turned to face John, tears still in his eyes. "Can I? I mean... I don't want to be an imposition..." He bit his lip and looked down at their hands.

"Oh, Sherlock." John pulled him close and kissed his cheeks. "Of course you can. Da will be fine, he'll just be glad I'm home." He pulled back and looked into Sherlock's glistening eyes. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

Sherlock shrugged, "I don't know, I just... Didn't want you to think that I was weak." He sighed and rested his head on John's shoulder.

John shook his head, smoothing a hand over Sherlock's back. "You're not weak. Not at all. In fact, you're the strongest person I know." He smiled and kissed Sherlock's temple.

Sherlock raised his head and kissed the other boy gently on the lips. "Thank you," he whispered and hugged him.

John returned the kiss happily. "You're very welcome. Now smile for me, I don't like it when you cry." He caressed Sherlock's cheek, thumb running over his prominent cheekbone.

Sherlock smiled as best he could and leaned into the touch. When they made it to John's flat, Mycroft agreed to grab some clothes for Sherlock and bring them back by later.

John led Sherlock up to the flat and when they got in, he called out for his father. "Hey, Da, Sherlock's here." Hamish popped his head out from the kitchen.

"Hello boys! How's the trial stuff going?" he asked. "Come on over, I'm just about done with dinner." John took Sherlock towards the kitchen table and pulled a chair for him before sitting down himself.

Sherlock sat and smiled gratefully at his fiancé. "It's going," Sherlock replied, "can't believe the trial starts this Friday." He looked over at John with concern.

Mr. Watson started setting out the food and plates. "The sooner the better. Get that little bastard locked up." He sat down and served the two boys and then himself.

John smiled at Sherlock, squeezing his hand. "Don't worry about me, I'll be alright." He started to eat, then looked back at Sherlock, wanting him to eat something as well.

Sherlock picked up his fork and started eating. "I think what I'm most afraid of is seeing him again. I don't know if I'm ready for that," he said softly.

John frowned at that. That was something he kept forgetting about; having to face Moran again. "Well, you'll be out sitting and he'll be up front. You can always close your eyes, love." He rubbed his thumb over the back of Sherlock's hand.

Sherlock laughed and shook his head, "not afraid as in scared... I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from saying something to him. And that I'll have to pull _**you**_ off of him." He smiled over at John and squeezed his hand back.

John smirked a bit. "I think you've got better self control than I do," he said. "You'll probably be pulling me off of him anyway."

Mr. Watson looked warily at John as he spoke. "Now, lad, you know that won't get you anywhere fast."

"I know, Da," John sighed. "It'll be better to let the guys in prison take care of him," he added in a mutter.

Sherlock leaned over to whisper in John's ear, "I guess I'll just have to restrain you like you did to me the other night," he murmured softly. He flicked his tongue out, letting it lightly swipe across the other boy's ear without John's father noticing and pulled back nonchalantly.

John's face went instantly red and he bowed his head a little to hide the blush before his father noticed. It was bad enough that just Sherlock whispering had made him look over with an eyebrow raised. But he said nothing about it. "So I assume you're staying tonight, Sherlock?"

Sherlock bit back a smirk at John's reaction and turned to Mr. Watson with a smile. "Yes sir, if that's all right with you."

"Of course. Just as long as I can't hear what you're doing later tonight," Hamish said with a grin.

"Da..." John had just gotten his previous blush to disappear only to have it come rushing back. "Between the both of you, my face is always red," he grumbled.

Sherlock laughed and reached over to pat the back of John's hand, "of course, that's our job after all, isn't it Mr. Watson?" He smiled and winked at John's father.

"That's right," Mr. Watson said, grin widening. John just groaned softly.

"You're very lucky that I love you both," he said with a half-smile. He had to admit, the teasing was even fun for him sometimes.

"Extremely lucky," Sherlock said and smiled fondly at John. He continued eating, doing his best to clean his plate. After he was done, he helped John clear the table and wash the dishes.

When they had finished cleaning up, John took Sherlock up to his room and pulled him down onto the bed. "You've been good lately with eating. I'm happy." He kissed the side of his neck and smiled.

Sherlock wrapped his arms around John, "Mmm... Yes, I'm gaining weight too. Soon you won't be able to put your arms around me." He kissed the top of the other boy's head.

John rolled his eyes. "Of course I will. You'll probably level at a healthy weight." He looked up at Sherlock, purely curious. "That's not why you don't eat is it?"

Sherlock shrugged, "not really, no... I just don't see the point. It messes with my thought process and I don't like not being able to focus."

John again rolled his eyes. "How about staying alive? That seems like a pretty good reason to eat."

"Well, of course... If I'm not alive I don't get to do this..." Sherlock grabbed John's arse and grinned. "Or this..." He flipped them over and straddled the other boy's hips. "And _**especially**_ not _**this**_..." finally, he leaned down and kissed his fiancé deeply.

John hummed and snaked his arms down to Sherlock's waist. "And if you're not alive you don't get to feel this." He ground upward into his lover's hips while simultaneously dragging Sherlock closer to speak in his ear. "Or hear me tell you how incredibly sexy you are and how much I want you to fuck me senseless."

Sherlock groaned softly and bit his lip. "I swear if you keep talking like that I will never miss another meal again," he murmured. Grabbing onto John's hips, he leaned in to connect their lips again and started rocking into him with a moan.

John grinned through the kiss, grasping tightly with spread fingers to his lover's arse as their hips rubbed together. He dove into Sherlock's mouth with his tongue, swiping it over every sensitive spot to draw out more sounds from his lover.

Sherlock moaned into John's mouth and reached in between them to start undoing the other boy's trousers. He released his lover's lips and started kissing his way down John's neck.

John groaned and moved his head to expose more skin for Sherlock. He pushed up his hips so that the other boy could slip his trousers and pants off, and he slipped his own hands around to start opening Sherlock's.

"God, your skin tastes amazing," Sherlock groaned against John's neck. He slid his hands underneath the other boy's shirt and dug his thumbs in right about his hip bones.

John moaned, eyes rolling back in his head. "Fuck, Sherlock..." He reached down and cupped Sherlock's groin, squeezing lightly. "You're so big..." he breathed. "You make me feel so full."

"_**Fuck**_..." Sherlock moaned and bucked into John's hand. "I love being inside you, you're so fucking tight." He connected their mouths again, stroking his lover's tongue with his own as his hands worked to help pull his trousers and pants down his hips.

John whimpered into the kiss, his mouth falling completely open to let his lover in. He pushed down Sherlock's pants and trousers, leaving the two of them bare from the waist down. Pulling back from the kiss to breathe, John let his head fall back to the pillow and groaned. "Please, Sherlock...God, I need you."

"My pleasure," Sherlock murmured and stuck three of his fingers into his mouth to wet them. He reached down after a few moments and rubbed his finger lightly up and down John's crack before sticking one of his fingers inside of him.

"Ohh, yes..." John pushed onto Sherlock's finger, moaning happily at the penetration. He spread his legs a bit wider.

Sherlock added another finger and started stretching John out, scissoring them as he pumped in and out. He placed open mouth kisses all along his lover's throat and down across his collarbone.

John's back arched and he let out a louder moan, the dual sensations of Sherlock's fingers and lips driving him crazy. He dragged his hands over Sherlock's back, leaving nail marks in their wake.

After adding a third finger and stretching John some more, Sherlock removed them and spit into his hand to slick up his cock. "Ready?" he asked quietly and positioned himself at his lover's entrance.

John's breathing was laboured as Sherlock finished preparing him. When the other boy spoke he whined and nodded. "Yes, please!" He spread his legs even more, feeling desperate.

Sherlock pushed in with a groan and paused once he was fully sheathed inside his lover. He pressed soft kisses to the side of John's face and then started moving his hips slowly.

John groaned and clutched at Sherlock's shoulders. He was glad for the short pause, giving him a moment to get used to the feeling of being so stretched. As Sherlock started moving, John laid back a bit and enjoyed the feeling of his lover sliding in and out of his body. "Yes...oh, Sherlock..."

Sherlock reached up and ran his fingers through John's hair, leaning in to tangle their tongues together. He kept rolling his hips in a steady rhythm as they kissed. The feeling of being connected to his lover this way was simply wonderful and he whimpered as he moved.

John kissed Sherlock back, holding him close and rocking his hips up gently to meet his lover's thrusts. He marveled still at how amazing it felt to share in this physical expression of their love. Only Sherlock could ever make him feel this way, and that was how he would always want it.

Sherlock pulled back when he felt the need to breathe grow too strong to ignore anymore. He left only a little space between their faces as he panted against his lover's lips. "I love you so much," he breathed.

John was breathing hard as well, and he wrapped his arms around Sherlock's neck to hold him there. "Oh, _**Sherlock**_...I love you, too." He was nearing the edge with each movement, but he just needed a little something more for the final push.

Sherlock moaned and wrapped one hand around the back of John's neck, pulling him closer and pressing their torsos together. His other hand migrated to his lover's hip and he held on tight. "Hang on for me, love," he whispered, continuing to thrust and bring himself closer.

John let out soft cries, clinging to Sherlock as they continued to move. "More, Sherlock...need more..." he begged softly.

Sherlock tilted his head to place kisses on John's jaw and he moved his hips so the other boy's cock got friction as it was caught between their abdomens. "There we go, love... Almost there... want you to come with me," he murmured against his lover's skin.

John groaned in satisfaction as Sherlock made sure his cock was taken care of as well, and let his head fall back to get more kisses from Sherlock. He was very close now, but would hold on for as long as Sherlock wanted him to so they could finish together.

After a few moments, Sherlock began to thrust faster and panted as he threw his head back. "N-now... Oh _**God**_, now..." he moaned. He held on for a few more seconds before grunting and releasing deep inside his lover.

John hung on until the bitter end and by the time Sherlock was telling him to go, he didn't think he could have lasted another second. He cried out with his climax at, the feeling of Sherlock's hot release filling him only adding to it. When he finally finish he gasped for breath and slumped, feeling sticky and sweaty but incredible all the same.

Sherlock collapsed on top of John when he was finished. He closed his eyes and listened to the sound of their breathing as he calmed himself and turned his head to kiss the side of his lover's face.

When John could find the strength, he wrapped his arms around Sherlock, holding him in place. "You're right," he managed, breath slowing. "Never boring." He grinned lazily and moved to hide his face in Sherlock's neck.

Sherlock hummed sleepily and pulled out of John, plopping down on the bed beside him. "I think... your father may have heard that," he said and chuckled.

John pulled the covers up over them and snuggled against Sherlock. "Worth it." He pressed his face to Sherlock's neck, nuzzling the soft skin.

"Mmm... I agree," Sherlock murmured and wrapped his arms around the other boy. "I love you, John," he whispered and kissed the top of his head.

"I love you, too, Sherlock Holmes," John murmured, closing his eyes. It wasn't long before the soft sound of their breathing and matching heartbeats soothed him to sleep.


	31. Chapter 31

Author's Note: Here's another chapter lovelies! Enjoy and review!

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Sherlock followed John into slumber and was sleeping peacefully until a few hours later when he started to dream.

_"Come on, freak... you should be used to this by now, get up!" Sebastian ha him cornered in the shower along with three other rugby players._

_"No... I don't have to do this anymore, you can't make me," Sherlock said defiantly and tried to pry himself loose from the other boys' grip._

_Sebastian laughed, "that's where you're wrong... I own you now, there's no way to escape."_

_Sherlock tried to lift his arms up, but found they were chained to the ground. "No... no!" he screamed and struggled._

Back in John's room, Sherlock was struggling and whimpering in his sleep. He kept repeating 'no' in a sleep slurred voice and he was sweating profusely.

John groaned a little when Sherlock started fidgeting. "Sherlock...cu'it out..." It took him a second but then he realised that his fiance must be having a nightmare. John sat up and opened his eyes. "Sherlock? Sherlock, love, it's John." He gently shook his shoulder, trying to wake him.

Sherlock tried to throw off John's hand on his shoulder, still asleep. "No... I don't want to, you can't make me!" He yelled and kept struggling. "Leave me alone... _**please**_!"

John tried not to panic, grabbing Sherlock firmly and kissing him. He hoped that much would jar him out of whatever terrible visions he was seeing, since it was obvious just talking to him wasn't going to work.

Sherlock scrunched his face up and pushed on John's chest until their lips parted. "Sebastian... no, please... I don't want to do it, please don't make me..." he whimpered and curled in on himself, rocking back and forth.

John couldn't believe that Sherlock had pushed him away, and was actually a bit hurt. Unless his dream self had taken the kiss as though it was Sebastian. But why would that make sense? John didn't know what to do. Maybe he could talk to him again.

"Sherlock, listen, please," he said right in his ear. "It's John. It's just me and no one else. You're safe, you're here with me. I love you." He tried to hug him, afraid that Sherlock would shake him off again.

Sherlock slowly came to and when he felt John's arms around him he clung to him as tightly as he could. "Please, John... Don't let him make me do it again, I don't want to do it again..." he sobbed and shook, holding fast to the other boy as tears streamed down his face.

"Shh, shh, I've got you. He's not here and he can't hurt you." John kept a tight hold on Sherlock, rocking him gently and kissing all over his face. "I love you, so much, and I will never let him hurt you again."

Sherlock kept crying, making soft, sad sounds as he kept his hold on John. He screwed his eyes shut and allowed himself to be rocked, trying to let it calm him.

John knew there was nothing more that he could do besides what he was doing. He rocked him, kissed him, and whispered sweet words of comfort. But hearing Sherlock cry like that was making him want to cry too, and a few tears escaped his eyes. That sick bastard Sebastian...he would pay for everything he'd done, someday.

After almost an hour, Sherlock finally got to the point where he felt good enough to kiss John back. "I love you," he whispered, voice still a little choked, "I love you so much..."

John was still holding Sherlock, and kissed him back tenderly. "I love you, too. So, so much. I wish I could fix everything." He kept kissing him, wanting to calm him fully.

Sherlock sighed and nuzzled into John's neck, "you do enough by being here... and loving me. It's not your fault I can't forget." He kissed the side of John's face and closed his eyes, trying to get back to sleep.

"I know. But that doesn't make me feel any better about it." John rubbed Sherlock's back slowly, watching over him to make sure he fell asleep again. He wanted to ask him what had happened, because he couldn't understand what was so terrible that Sherlock couldn't tell him, but he knew he couldn't. He wouldn't force Sherlock to relive those memories.

Sherlock slept soundly the rest of the night and woke relieved that he was safe in John's arms. He began placing kisses along his jaw and hugged him around his waist.

John had fallen asleep again only after Sherlock did. When he woke next it was to the feeling of Sherlock's kisses. He hummed happily and opened his eyes. "Morning," he mumbled. "Mmm, keep doing that and we'll never make it to school."

Sherlock smiled against John's skin, "we can't make that a habit, your father might get suspicious," he murmured. He raised up and straddled his lover's hips, "good morning to you, too by the way," he said and leaned down to kiss the other boy on the lips.

John kissed Sherlock in return, slowly and lovingly. He pulled away and smiled up at him, bringing one hand to cup his cheek. "Are you feeling better?" he asked softly.

Sherlock sighed happily and leaned into John's touch, "I'm fine now... Thanks to my wonderful fiancé." He smiled down at the other boy and leaned down to kiss him again.

John grinned and kissed him back, glad to know that Sherlock was alright. He hummed softly and snaked his arms around Sherlock's neck, holding him close.

Sherlock moaned softly and pulled away after a few moments, resting their foreheads together. "Okay... unless you want to be late for school, we really have to stop," he murmured.

John whined when Sherlock pulled away and pouted. "Fine. I guess we have to go." He sat up and pecked Sherlock once more before pushing him up so he could get out of bed.

Sherlock smiled and took John's hand, leading him to the bathroom so they could take a shower. They managed to keep their hands to themselves and got out in time to meet Mycroft out front to go to school.

John kept Sherlock's hand through the ride to school, and walking into the building. They were greeted by smiles and waves that John was still getting used to. He went with Sherlock to his first classroom and gave him a kiss before he left. Really, John didn't want to leave Sherlock alone. He had a bad feeling that he might start having flashbacks and if John wasn't there, no one would be able to snap him out of it.

Sherlock was able to keep his mind off of his nightmare the evening before by focusing fully on his schoolwork. Lunch came quickly, thankfully, and Sherlock waited at the table for John to come eat with him.

John was glad to see Sherlock waiting for him at lunch and looking to be in as good of spirits as he was that morning. He sat with him once he got his tray and grinned.

Sherlock grinned back and chuckled, shaking his head. He leaned in to kiss John on the cheek and grabbed a chip off his tray. "You're in a good mood," he said and bit into the stolen chip.

John started eating, leaning into Sherlock's side. "I'm always in a good mood when I'm with you." He stayed against Sherlock as he continued eating.

Sherlock smiled and nudged John with his shoulder as he continued to eat. A few minutes later, Mary Morstan walked over smiling at them. "Hey, guys! How's my favourite couple?" She sat down across from them and laid down her tray.

John grinned back at her, though her sitting with them had been rather unexpected. Though he guessed that this sort of thing was going to start happening more now that they weren't the target of a crazed bully. "Hi, Mary. We're fine. How are you?"

"I'm doing quite well, thanks," Mary said and smiled. "So listen... I'm having a party on Saturday and was wondering if you guys would be able to come. I'd love it if you could make it."

"Well, the trial is on Friday," John said. "If it doesn't carry over to Saturday I'm sure we could make it. What do you think, Sherlock?" he asked, turning to his fiance.

Sherlock shrugged and smiled at Mary, "sure, I don't see why not."

Mary squealed happily, "brilliant! See you both there!" She picked up her tray and waved goodbye, headed back to the table with the other cheerleaders.

"Well... That was... unexpected," Sherlock said once she was gone. He wasn't used to being invited to things, especially by the popular kids.

John waved to her as she left and went back to eating. "Yeah. It's a bit strange, but cool. I wonder what kind of party it'll be." He knew of course that there would probably be alcohol there, which put him off a bit, but he could deal with it for one night. Just as long as no one got too carried away.

"My guess... a dance party. Mary is pretty well known for her parties and loves a good dance party. Of course as you've probably already guessed there will be booze there. Mary's parents are usually 'on a trip' the whole weekend." Sherlock knew John would probably want to avoid any drinking, but he himself was looking forward to the opportunity to dance with his fiancé again.

John pursed his lips. Of course, no surprise there. "Well,whatever. I don't have to drink anything to have fun." He looked up at Sherlock, smiling. "And we'll get to dance again, just like your birthday party."

Sherlock grinned, "yes, _**just**_ like at my birthday party." He leaned in to whisper into John's ear, "I really can't wait to grind against you on the dance floor again," he murmured huskily.

John smirked a bit at the shiver sent down his spine from Sherlock's words. "Remember what happened last time. We won't have a limo to run to for a quickie." He rested a hand on Sherlock's thigh, just a short distance from his crotch.

"I guess the nearest closet or restroom will have to do then," Sherlock whispered and leaned closer to the other boy.

"I guess so," John murmured, tilting his head enough to capture Sherlock's lips in a firm kiss.

Sherlock hummed happily and kissed John back just as hard. He pulled back with a smile and leaned in to kiss him a few more times, soft and quick.

At the end of the school day, Sherlock walked hand in hand with John out to the car and kept his arm around him as they rode to his flat. When they pulled into the lot, he hugged the other boy close, "I wish you could come over again," he murmured.

John stayed snuggled into Sherlock's side as they rode home. He hugged him back, cheek nestled on Sherlock's shoulder. "I know, love. I wish I could too." Especially after the night before, he didn't want to leave Sherlock alone overnight to have another nightmare. John pulled back after a moment, taking Sherlock's face in both hands. "I want you to call me, alright? If you have a nightmare or even if you just can't sleep, I want you to call me."

Sherlock nodded, "I will, I promise." He hugged John again and then pulled back to kiss him. "I love you more than anything," he murmured against the other boy's lips.

John smiled, kissing him back. "I love you, too, my heart and my life." He gazed at Sherlock in silence for a moment, memorising him, and then reluctantly got out of the car. He headed into the flat with one last wave.

Sherlock stared at John as they drove away, hand pressed flat against the window until they turned the corner. He sighed and turned forward, slumping in the seat.

He didn't have any nightmares that night, miraculously and the rest of the week went by without incident. Soon it was Friday and he was sitting on a bench outside the court room with John, grasping tightly to his hand as they waited to go inside.

They say that when you're not looking forward to something, time seems to speed to that event. And that much was obvious to John as he found himself suddenly dressed in a suit and tie, sitting with Sherlock outside the courtroom. He couldn't deny that he was nervous. But if everything went well, then they would be fine. He just wished he could somehow hold Sherlock's hand while he was testifying. He'd have to settle for clasping his own together in his lap.

Ms. Rodin was approaching them a few moments later, dressing in a grey suit with a light blue button down shirt. "They're ready for us," she said and led the boys inside the courtroom.


	32. Chapter 32

Author's Note: Here it is! The long awaited court scene. There's tons of angst here, so be prepared. Keep in mind, neither me or my co-writer (SailorXStar) are British, so there may be some flaws as far as the setup of the courtroom and judging process goes, but we hope you bear with us! Please read and review, and as always, we appreciate all our followers! PS, this is a long chapter, but it's not the end, so keep reading the next few chapters!

* * *

"Come sit here, Sherlock," Helen said, gesturing to the seat beside her at the table up front.

Sherlock's eyes went wide and he swallowed thickly, "Can... can we get another chair for John?" Helen bit her lip and thought for a moment, but nodded and asked for another chair.

John follow Sherlock and Ms. Rodin into the room, keeping a tight hold on the former's hand. It looked like the whole town had come out to see the trial. A lot of the kids from school were there, including the entire expelled rugby team who gave the pair dirty looks. John leaned in close to whisper to Sherlock as they waited for another chair.

"Just relax. This is the last we'll have to deal with this." He just wished he could follow his own advice. They both sat when the second chair was brought and John looked up at the chair he'd soon be in when he was being questioned.

The room was filled with murmurs as an officer brought in Moran. He was handcuffed and wearing a prison outfit, head down as he walked. When he was seated, he looked over at Sherlock and John with an evil grin and winked at them.

"Oi!" the officer standing next to him barked, "eyes down, what did I tell you?" Sebastian looked down at the table in front of him, but Sherlock could still see a smirk on his face.

John had never before felt such a mixture of satisfaction and anger at the same time; the former to see Moran in prison garb like he should be and the latter because he hated the boy with a burning passion. He was glad that his chair was closer to the bastard than Sherlock's so he could shield him as best as he could. When Moran looked over John met his gaze with a fierce glare. If there was one thing about this situation that he wasn't afraid of, it was him.

"All rise for Judge Riddle!" Everyone stood and Sherlock grabbed tightly to John's hand, twining their fingers together. He couldn't believe _the_ Senior District Judge would be hearing their case.

John stood with Sherlock, locking his fingers in place. The judge stepped in and up to his seat in front of the court, motioning for everyone to sit again. This was it. John's heart was pounding hard in his chest. He glanced back to seats where Mr. and Mrs. Holmes and his father were sitting, and then to Sherlock for one last look of support. Now it was only a matter of time before they called for his testimony.

The usher stood near the back of the courtroom and walked up to read the charges. "Sebastian Moran, age 18, being charged with harassment, assault and attempted murder. Being charged by Sherlock Holmes, age 18."

The judge nodded and looked at the papers in front of him for a moment before looking up at Ms. Rodin. "Is the prosecution ready to present their case?" Helen stood and smoothed out her skirt, "we are, your honour. I call the first witness, John Watson to the stand."

John swallowed. _Here we go. Just keep cool. _He gave Sherlock's hand one last squeeze before releasing his grip and standing up. With a deep breath puffed out through his cheeks and squared shoulders, John walked up to the witness stand and stood behind the gate. He could do this. For Sherlock.

Sherlock watched as John walked over to the witness stand and kept his gaze on him as he stood in the witness box. The usher walked up to John with a bible in his hand, "do you wish to take an oath or make an affirmation that your evidence is true?" he asked.

John had to take a second to decide, but said, "An oath." He wasn't really strongly religious, but since he met Sherlock he'd been believing more and more in miracles. And they could use all the help they could get to put Moran away.

The usher nodded and held the bible out in front of John, placing his left hand on it and raising his right one. "Repeat after me: I swear by God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

John copied the stance and said, "I swear by God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." He removed his hand and took his seat, waiting for Ms. Rodin to come up and question him.

The usher nodded and then took his seat. Ms. Rodin approached the witness stand and smiled reassuringly before beginning her questioning. "John, why don't you start from the beginning. When did you and Sherlock first meet?"

John was glad to see the smiling face of Ms. Rodin on the other side of the stand, and he felt himself calm a bit more. He took a deep breath and began. "It was a Friday," he started, deciding to be as detailed as possible. "I had just moved into town a week before and I had joined the school rugby team. I was walking down the hall after class had let out and I saw the boys surrounding someone, so I went over to see what was going on."

"Who was at the centre of the group?" Ms. Rodin asked, hands behind her back as she spoke.

"Sebastian and Sherlock," John answered. "I managed to get between them and asked what was happening."

"And what did he say?" Ms. Rodin asked, starting to pace.

John's anger flared as he remembered the words. "He said, 'Freak'- meaning Sherlock- 'thinks he's better than us and we're teaching him a lesson.' Then he punched Sherlock in the face."

"Then what happened?" Helen questioned further, still pacing.

"Sebastian asked me to join in but I told him no," John said, casting a short glare in the convict's direction. "Then he said that they were just having fun, and that was the moment I decided to quit the rugby team. I said that if he and the other boys didn't leave that I would get the headmaster, so they finally took off."

Ms. Rodin nodded and smiled over at John again. "Now tell the court about the events leading up to the second attack on Sherlock."

John nodded, and sighed a bit. This one he felt a bit less confident about, because he was stupid enough to follow Mary down the hall. "Well, after Moran and the others left that Friday, I fixed up Sherlock's nose and then he invited me over. We spent pretty much the entire weekend together, and...fell in love." He blushed a bit and smiled.

"That next Monday, we went to school together and we didn't hide the fact that we were in a relationship. But Sebastian didn't like that," he said, face going serious again. "After school, Sherlock and I were walking out of the building, and a girl- Mary- came up to me and asked to speak with me alone. I didn't realise it but she was trying to lure me away so Sherlock would be more vulnerable."

Sherlock bit his lip and blushed as well, because whn John mentioned them falling in love, a lot of people in the court "aww'ed". Even the judge smiled at what John said. When he got to the part where Mary lured him away, Sherlock clasped his hands together nervously.

"Okay, what happened while you were away with Mary?" Ms. Rodin continued after John was done speaking.

"Mary took be around a corner and pinned me to the wall and...kissed me." John made a face. That kiss had been terrible, though not as terrible as the one with Irene Adler.

"I pushed her away and told her that I was with Sherlock, but she didn't say anything, just kind of smirked. And then I realised that something wasn't right. I ran back to where I had left Sherlock and could hear him calling my name as I got closer. The whole team had surrounded him again and were attacking him." He held back a shiver as he remembered. That was only the first time that he had been terrified of losing his fiance.

Sherlock swallowed thickly and bit back tears at the memory. He was scared then, too. Terrified that he would never get to see John again, that he'd left him for some girl. But he knew better now, John would never leave him.

"When you arrived back, was Sherlock fighting back? Was he trying to get away?" Helen asked, looking over at the boy in question for a moment before turning her attention back to John.

John shook his head, slowly looking down. "No. He just let them do it." He glanced back up and over at Sherlock, seeking to give and receive comfort as they both struggled with the painful memory.

"What happened next, was Sherlock still yelling out for you?" Helen asked. She was feeling a little emotional as well, because she knew what had happened from John telling it before, but the judge needed to hear all the details.

"No. They knocked him unconscious." John swallowed, trying to keep his cool. _Relax, John, it's all fine now. _He raised his head a bit more and continued. "I managed to get the team away from Sherlock and then carried him out of the school."

"By 'managed', you mean you ripped them away from Sherlock, correct?" Ms. Rodin clarified.

John bit his lip. "Well, yes."

Ms. Rodin gave John a look, trying to let him know it was okay, they just needed to know. "All right, so then what happened?"

John smiled a bit and then continued. "I carried Sherlock out and was going to try to find a way to get him to the hospital. But then his brother showed up and drove us."

"Okay, so... While Sherlock was recovering, you continued to go to school, correct? How did Moran react to seeing you again?" Ms. Rodin questioned.

John pursed his lips. "Not well. I was sitting alone at lunch and he and some of the rugby boys came over to me and started instigating."

Sherlock's hands clenched into fists, he hated hearing this part. Even though it wasn't his fault, he wished he had been there to stop them. "What did they say to you?" Helen asked, stepping up closer to the witness box.

John took a deep breath. That conversation had made him so angry, but he couldn't get upset, not now. "He came up and asked me where Sherlock was, referring to him again as 'the freak'." He knew that the people in the courtroom would be even more sympathetic to them if he showed them how terrible Moran was to Sherlock when he hadn't done anything. "I told him that Sherlock was at home thanks to him, and he lamented that he didn't get to finish what he was doing." He was getting angrier with each word he spoke and he tried to get a lid on it.

"So he hinted at wanting to attack Sherlock again when he got another chance to?" Ms. Rodin asked, glancing over at the defendant.

"Yes," John said, only just realising that himself.

Ms. Rodin nodded, "did you say anything back to him?"

John's cheeks went the faintest bit of pink. He'd forgotten about this too, another threat he'd said to Moran. "I told him that if he touched Sherlock again I would let him know what it felt like to be in his position."

Ms. Rodin kept her cool, knowing that if the defence realised she didn't know about that to begin with, they'd use it against him. Instead, she just nodded, "then what happened?"

"Well, I was standing at that point, and Moran shoved me into the wall after I said that. Then he turned like he was going to leave, and punched me in the stomach instead."

John paused for a moment, remembering yet another thing he had done that would be considered provoking. He tried to make an apologetic look as he locked eyes with Ms. Rodin again. "I fell over and as he was walking away, I grabbed his ankle and made him fall on his face..."

Helen closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing, "and then...?"

John felt guilty for not remembering these things, but he was certain that that was the last of the evidence that would make John look like the one who started it. "Then they all jumped on me and beat me unconscious."

"I would like to add that at this point, one of the professors, Gregory Lestrade, came upon the scene and was able to shoo the boys off. He then called an ambulance, as you see in his statement there." She nodded towards one of the papers in front of the judge. "Now, let's talk about the shooting," Helen continued, "start from that morning."

This was actually news to John as he was pretty sure no one had told him what happened after he'd blacked out. When Ms. Rodin asked about the shooting...He already felt the lump building in his throat and he swallowed thickly to try to get himself together. "That morning..." he started. "I had slept over Sherlock's the night before, and we were about to have a shower. Then out of nowhere, Sebastian was there behind us."

Sebastian smirked from his seat and Sherlock looked over and glared at him. "Again, I would like to add that we took statements from the staff that Sherlock's father, Siger said was working that morning. One of the maids had let him in after he told her he was a friend of my client's."

Sherlock's eyes widened slightly, he'd thought they'd been one maid short since the shooting and now he knew why. His father must have fired her. Helen turned back to John, "please, continue," she said with her hand stretched out to him.

John didn't see the exchange between Sherlock and Moran as he was looking down into his lap. This was always so hard, no matter how many times he talked about it. "When I saw him, I stood in front of Sherlock," he said quietly. "Sebastian said that he just wanted to see how we were doing, and I told him to get out. I said that since he was alone this time that I would be able to take him down." He would have too, if it hadn't been for the gun. "And then he pulled out the gun." Again John needed to pause to try to compose himself. The closer he got to...that, the stronger the memory became.

Sherlock almost stood up, almost ran over to John to hold his hand, but he didn't. He stayed put and looked over at John lovingly, doing what he could to support him. He mouthed 'I love you', hoping that the other boy saw him as he continued to speak.

John had looked up at just the right moment, seeing Sherlock mouthing his favourite words in the world, and he smiled faintly at him. He really wished he could have Sherlock next to him, but he needed to be strong. For Sherlock, he reminded himself again.

"He started yelling at us that we had ruined his life because he got expelled and lost his Uni scholarship, which was thanks to the attack on me. I tried to tell him that it wasn't our fault that he couldn't deal with the consequences of his actions, but he just started screaming at us that we were freaks. And then..."

John closed his eyes. He couldn't help it, the tears formed immediately as he remembered _**that**_ moment. "He f-fired and...Sherlock pushed m-me out of the way..." The tears fell one by one and he wiped his eyes furiously trying to stop them.

The whole courtroom was silent and many people were looking at John sympathetically. Sherlock was gripping hard on the sides of his chair, trying to keep himself from running to embrace his fiancé. Helen gave him a few moments before speaking again, deciding to help him along. "So, Sherlock was hit instead?"

John still hadn't opened his eyes, afraid that if he did a vision of his dying fiance would be lying in front of him, blood pooled, eyes dim. He finally did open them when Ms. Rodin asked her next question, and he nodded silently. He looked at Sherlock and watched the rise and fall of his shoulders, the way his eyes moved.

"What happened then, John?" Helen asked, her voice low. Sherlock knew this would end up being the most difficult part to remember and he made his breaths slow and deliberate so his fiancé could see the movement as well as tapping his finger lightly on the table in front of him, mimicking his heart beat.

John's eyes darted around the courtroom, for the first time taking in all the faces watching. He finally rested his eyes on Sherlock, and he could tell by the way that he was moving that he was doing those things for his benefit. It helped him relax a little, and he found himself glued to his fiance as he continued speaking.

"Sebastian dropped the gun and ran," he said, voice still a bit choked. "And I called for an ambulance..." He pressed a finger to his own wrist, just to feel a heartbeat, pretending it was Sherlock's. "Then I held Sherlock...u-until he blacked out," John continued slowly. "I thought he had died." It was nearly a whisper, and he didn't know if anyone had really heard it.

Sherlock closed his eyes, a few tears falling. He could only imagine what John had gone through in those moments. When he opened them back up, he locked gazes with his fiance again.

"So the ambulance arrived and the paramedics were able to revive him," Helen said, trying to reassure John as well as continue with the story. "I have nothing further, your honour," she said and smiled at John again before taking her seat. "Your witness, Mr. Tabling," the judge said to the defence lawyer.

John looked at Sherlock, eyes shining with tears still trapped in them. When Mr. Rodin was sitting down and the defence lawyer was standing, he took the opportunity to mouth 'I love you' to his fiance. He was a bit calmer now that the hardest part was over, and he reminded himself that he needed to be even stronger now that he was on the defence. He swallowed thickly and wiped his eyes, steeling himself for what was to come.

Mr. Tabling was a larger man with short, black hair. He was young and had an almost angry look about him. "John Watson..." he said, approaching the witness stand, "you were friends with Sebastian when you first started going to school here, were you not?"

John stared up at the man defiantly. He thought he felt more like a soldier in this moment than he might have ever felt like if had wound up going into the army. "I wouldn't really say that. I had only gone to the school for a week at that point, I just knew him from rugby."

Mr. Tabling pursed his lips, "but you sat with him at lunch, you even agreed to come hang out with him one day after school. We have several witnesses that can attest to that." He nodded over to the rugby players sitting among the other people watching the trial.

"Again," John said, looking up at him with a stoic face. "I was only living here for a week. I was _**trying**_ to make friends with him, but that was before I knew that he and the lot of those boys were bullies."

The defence lawyer relented and decided to pursue another angle. "In the short time you'd known my client, you had a few opportunities to have some conversations with him... Is it not true that at one point, you said that gay males 'freaked you out'?" He again glanced over to the rugby players, silently pointing out that he again had witnesses to the fact.

John swallowed, remembering the conversation, and his cheeks went a bit pink. He hoped that Sherlock wouldn't be upset by that, he was just being stupid. "Well...yes, I did. But that doesn't mean that I would have bullied a gay person if that's what you're implying. I don't agree with picking on people."

"But you did say that if one ever hit on you, that you would; and I'm quoting here, 'punch them in the face'." Sherlock frowned, his brow furrowing. John wouldn't say that... would he?"

John's cheeks only became more red and he felt terribly guilty. He barely remembered saying these things, especially because any of his previous feelings about homosexuality had changed now that he was with Sherlock. "I was being stupid," he said softly, but then his voice picked up volume. "But I obviously didn't do that since a gay person did hit on me, and now we're engaged." He held up his left hand to show his ring.

The judge frowned and shook his head, writing something down on the paper in front of him. Helen started to panic, she had no idea John would say such things and they were losing the judge. Sherlock grinned when John held up the ring, but everyone else gasped in shock and started murmuring. "Order!" the judge said, "silence! All of you, now!" Everyone quieted down and Helen immediately took the opportunity to stand.

"Your honour, can I request a recess?"

The judge looked at the defence lawyer, "do you have any further questions for Mr. Watson?" Mr. Tabling smirked and shook his head. "All right then, we'll take an hour recess and meet back here then."

Ms. Rodin frowned at John, "outside, _**both**_ of you... Now." She led them out of the courtroom and off to the side meeting room. "What... the _**hell**_ was that?!" She yelled, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

John felt a bit better when he saw Sherlock smiling. At least he didn't seem too upset about John's stupidity before. He followed Ms. Rodin out of the room, immediately reaching out for Sherlock's hand as he was afraid he was in for an earful. When they got to the room, he flinched at the yell and flushed again in guilt. "I was under oath. I couldn't lie." He looked down at the floor, feeling ashamed.

Sherlock squeezed John's hand tightly, standing a little in front of him. "It's not his fault... He was just saying what he had to... the truth."

Ms. Rodin sighed, "the truth... right. That includes _**all**_ the provoking you did and failed to tell me about... And not to mention, all the shit the defence brought up!" She groaned in frustration and sat down. "I just don't know what we can do to get the judge back on our side."

"Ms. Rodin?" Helen looked up and saw the usher standing at the door. "Yes?" She said and stood. "The judge would like to speak with you and Mr. Tabling." Helen looked over to the boys, "I'll be right back," she said before walking out the door with the usher.

John felt awful. He had never thought that the defence lawyer would bring those things up, but then again, why shouldn't he? He was trying to make John look bad, and right now, John felt just as bad as he was being portrayed. And now, Moran might walk because he couldn't keep his big mouth shut. When Ms. Rodin had left the room he turned into Sherlock's side, pressing his face to the other boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sherlock. I've ruined everything," he said softly, tears welling in his eyes. "I failed you."

Sherlock wrapped his arms around the other boy and pressed a kiss to his head. "No, love, you haven't... you did great." He pulled back and wiped the tears from John's eyes, looking him in the face. "Hey... I love you. You are _**still**_ the most amazing, kind, wonderful man that I've ever met." He offered John a smile and leaned in to kiss his lips again.

John couldn't be so easily reassured by Sherlock's words this time. After all his promises to protect him, when he needed to do his best, he made things worse. He hugged Sherlock back and kept his face buried in his fiance's neck, feeling like he didn't deserve his praise or love right now.

Sherlock frowned, continuing to hold John and try his best to soothe him. Ms. Rodin soon joined them again and she didn't look too hopeful.

"Well... the defence is trying to get the judge to change the charges," she said and sighed. Sherlock shook his head, "to what?" She sat down and looked at the ground, "they want them to drop the attempted murder charge completely."

"What?!" Sherlock said and let go of John, his fists clenched by his sides. "The defence claims that Sebastian didn't come with the intention to kill either of you, only to scare you. On top of that, the defence claims that there isn't enough evidence to prove that he wanted you dead."

Sherlock felt anger rise in him and he closed his eyes, "they need more evidence of how bad Sebastian is? How violent and... _**sick**_ he is?"

Ms. Rodin looked up and nodded, "well, yeah... that would certainly help."

Sherlock took a deep breath and opened his eyes to look at the lawyer. "I want to testify."

John looked up when Ms. Rodin said that they wanted to drop the charge, and he was just as angry as Sherlock, though his fiance had beaten him to saying anything. He couldn't believe that they were willing to ignore the fact that Sebastian had nearly killed Sherlock. And of course, this all came back to the fact that his testimony had gotten weaker the longer he stayed at the bench, which brought John back to feeling guilty.

That was only increased when Sherlock said he wanted to testify. This was exactly what he was trying to prevent. "Sherlock, no! There has to be another way. I can't be up there with you if you start to...you know." He left 'have an episode' hanging in the air. "Can I?" He looked back to Ms. Rodin, wondering if maybe there was some way that he could at least sit with Sherlock as long as he promised not to speak.

Helen shook her head, "I'm sorry, no... If something happens while he's up there, you can, but you can't be next to him." Sherlock swallowed and grabbed John's hand tighter. "Are you _**sure**_ you want to do this, Sherlock? There won't be time for me to prepare you. It'll all be done on the spot."

Sherlock thought for a moment, looking back on the nightmare he'd had a few evenings ago. As long as he avoided talking about what had happened all those months ago, Sebastian would control him. He couldn't let that happen anymore.

He looked up and nodded firmly, "yes, I'm sure." Sherlock turned to John and cupped his cheek, "don't worry about me, love. I'll be fine," he whispered and gave him a lopsided smile.

John threw his arms around Sherlock's neck and kissed him firmly. It was all he could do now, and at least he had permission to go up to Sherlock if he needed him. After a moment he pulled away and took Sherlock's face in both hands. "Keep your eyes on me, alright?" he murmured, staring into his eyes, which were a bright blue at the moment. He pushed away his guilt for the moment to be the support that Sherlock would need through the rest of the trial. If anything, he needed to do this right.

Sherlock nodded and gave John another kiss. "It's time," Ms. Rodin said and led the boys back out to the courtroom, showing them to their seats. Sherlock kept a tight hold on his fiance's hand as they waited for the judge to rejoin them.

As soon as they had stood and been seated again, Ms. Rodin walked to the front of the table. "Ms. Rodin, I've learned you have another witness?" Helen nodded, "we do, your honour. I'd like to call the victim, Sherlock Holmes to the stand." Sherlock could hear his mother gasping and his father trying to calm her. He also heard all of the other people start to murmur and saw the look on Moran's face when they revealed he was going to be testifying.

Sherlock walked to the witness box, taking deep breaths. The usher stood with him as he took the oath and soon he was seated. Ms. Rodin approached the stand and have Sherlock a small smile before beginning. "Sherlock, tell the court when it all started."

"Well, it all started when I became public about my sexuality. Moran always hated homosexuals and he started teasing me, calling me names like faggot and queer."

John kept Sherlock's hand for as long as he could, only finally releasing to let him go up to the witness stand. He kept his eyes locked on Sherlock, wanting to make him feel as though he were only speaking to him, only telling him what happened. At least this way, he might feel better about a bunch of strangers who didn't really need to know what had happened hearing his most private, dark secrets.

He had a horrible feeling about what Sherlock was about to reveal, especially when he started the way he did. It made a few pieces from the other night with his bad dream fall together.

Ms. Rodin nodded for Sherlock to continue. "One day, after gym..." he looked over at John and swallowed thickly, keeping eye contact with him as he spoke. "Moran approached me in the showers. He had a few of the other rugby players with him." Sherlock closed his eyes for a moment, calming himself before he continued on with the story.

"He shoved me up against the wall and started calling me names again and he punched me in the eye. I fell to the ground and he took me by the throat, standing me up. The other boys were laughing, cheering him on. Then he... he asked me how much I liked taking it in the arse. How many guys' cocks I'd ever sucked." Sherlock could feel the tears coming on and swallowed them down, trying to be strong.

John shook his head, but not enough to break the eye contact he maintained with Sherlock. It was making more and more sense, which made it worse and worse. He was sure that Sherlock could tell he was catching on, but he didn't want him to stop. He couldn't stop. Terrible as this was, it was just what they needed to win. 'I love you. So much.' he mouthed towards him. 'You're so strong.'

Sherlock nodded at John, grateful for the comfort he was giving. "When I told him that I was still a virgin, he laughed and grinned at me. He said that he wanted to be the first one... that he would break me of it." He frowned and his brow furrowed as tears started to fall, "then he motioned for two of the rugby players to push me down on my knees and hold me there. I tried to escape, but every time I started to struggle, he would hit me."

Tears were even coming to Helen's eyes now, she couldn't believe that someone would do something like this because of their sexual preference. "What happened next, Sherlock?" she asked softly.

"Then... he undid his trousers and pulled his... penis out. He forced my jaw open and told me to suck. When I kept my mouth closed... he nodded to the other rugby player, who came up behind me and put a pocket knife to my throat. I was so scared..." he whispered, still keeping eye contact with John and shook his head slowly.

John was crying too now, and he just kept staring at Sherlock, wishing so badly that he could be up there with him. He completely understood now why Sherlock never wanted to talk about it. It was more horrible than he could have imagined. And he had never before felt so vehemently like he wanted to throttle someone. If he could do it, if he could kill Sebastian Moran and get away with it, he would have in that moment.

Ms. Rodin cleared her throat and brought a hand up to wipe her eyes before she started to speak again, "So he forced you to perform oral sex on him." Sherlock nodded and hung his head, tears dripping down onto his lap. "No further questions, your honour," she said and sat back down.

Sherlock lifted his head and swallowed nervously, this was the part he was worried about, the cross-examination. He knew that the defence lawyer could be ruthless. "Sherlock, let me ask you something..." Mr. Tabling said before he even stood, "have you ever said anything to provoke my client?"

Sherlock shrugged, "I suppose me calling him out on cheating or picking on other students could be considered as provoking, but he didn't have to act on any of it. Besides, that's not what caused him to attack me. He... didn't like my choice in sexual partners."

Mr. Tabling nodded, "that's certainly true. I have another question for you." Sherlock clasped his hands together and waited. "Have you ever done any recreational drugs?" Sherlock cleared his throat and nodded, "yes... I have." The defence lawyer stood and walked towards the stand, "so, it's entirely possible... that you may have been hallucinating when this so called 'attack' happened. In fact, it may not have ever happened at all... there are no witnesses. Are we just supposed to take the word of a druggie?"

"Objection! Badgering!" Ms. Rodin shouted and stood, slamming her fist down on the table. The judge gave the defence lawyer a warning look and he put his hands up in a placating manner, "no further questions."

John watched Sherlock as the defence lawyer started questioning him, hoping that he'd be able to get through these questions a bit more easily. After all, they hadn't been prepared for the fact that Sherlock was going to testify. But when he started asking about the drugs, John knew that Moran must have been somehow telling his lawyer to ask about them. He stood with Ms. Rodin when she objected, one second away from saying something himself.

He slowly descended back into his seat as Mr. Tabling said no further questions, and he looked over to Sherlock again, seeing his face enough to calm him some. He had done well, and he was so proud of him.

On a hunch, Ms. Rodin spoke up, "permission to re-examine?" The judge shrugged, "I don't see why not, go ahead."

Sherlock watched as Ms. Rodin approached the stand, wondering what she could possibly be asking. "When did you start doing the drugs, Sherlock?"

"I started after Sebastian attacked me in the showers. I couldn't deal with the memory of it, so I took them to forget..." Mr. Tabling stood, "oh, come on! You can't possibly tell me that you believe he started doing drugs after _**one**_ attack!"

"Enough!" the judge said firmly.

"Twenty-seven," Sherlock said. Helen had turned towards the other lawyer once he had spoken, but after hearing Sherlock again, she turned back. "What was that?" she said, her brow furrowed.

"It wasn't just one attack... it was twenty-seven. Sebastian said... he wanted to make sure everyone on the team got a turn with me."

That was it. John couldn't stop himself anymore. He stood again, tears streaming down his face. "You son of a bitch! You sick, _**sick**_ bastard!" he screamed. The only thing stopping him from running over was the guard next to Sebastian who had stepped in his way. "You'll get yours...You'll get exactly what you deserve!" He couldn't stand anymore, slumping down into a seat and crying.

Sherlock was crying too, his mind trying to shut out the pain it was experiencing. He hung his head, ashamed. His hands came up to clutch at his head and curled up as much as he could.

The judge dismissed court and they took Sebastian away again. Soon it was just Ms. Rodin, John, Sherlock and both the boys parents in the room. Sherlock had fallen out of the chair and onto the floor of the witness box, shaking and sobbing. Helen put a hand on John's back, "he needs you, John... Go to him," she said.

John looked up and nodded, running over to the witness stand. He knelt next to Sherlock and pulled the other boy into his arms, cradling him to his chest. "I'm h-here, Sherlock," he said, still crying. "I love you, s-so much." He rocked the other boy, kissed him, whispered to him, everything and anything that he knew usually worked to calm his fiance. He was truly the strongest, most brave person that John knew.

"I'm sorry, I... I'm so sorry," Sherlock sobbed. He felt so filthy, so ashamed of what he'd been forced to do. Now that John knew, he didn't know what to do. It didn't seem like he was leaving, but Sherlock still felt _so_ much shame. He clung to his fiancé, his tears drenching the other boy's shirt.

John shook his head, kissing the side of Sherlock's face repeatedly. "Don't you dare...don't you apologise, Sherlock Holmes," he choked out. "This is not your fault. No one blames you, especially not me." He couldn't stress enough how wrong Sherlock was to feel that he needed to apologise for _that_. "I love you, so much. So, so much."

"I was so scared," Sherlock sobbed, still clinging to John. "I didn't... I didn't want to do it anymore, but he _**made**_ me. Again... and again... And I..." He couldn't speak anymore, just held John close and screwed his eyes shut, trying to focus on his fiance's words and soothing touches.

"It's alright now," John said, Sherlock's words ripping his heart to shreads. He couldn't stop the steady stream of tears rolling down his cheeks. "No one can ever make you do that again. No one will ever hurt you again. I've got you." He smoothed his hand over Sherlock's back, kissed into his hair, and kept talking to him gently. If after this anyone dared to let that monster free, John wouldn't be accountable for his actions.

After several minutes, Ms. Rodin approached them, "boys... the judge has decided on a verdict. Whenever you're ready..." She bit her lip and walked back to the table where they were sitting before.

"Is it good that he came to a decision so quickly?" Mrs. Holmes asked, her voice a bit choked. After seeing her son in such distress, she had cried as well. Ms. Rodin shrugged, "It can be good, or it can be bad... I have a good feeling about it though."

John looked up at Ms. Rodin when she came over, and then back down at Sherlock curled in his arms. He tilted his fiance's face up to kiss him a few times. "This is it, love. All this just has to be worth it," he said softly, desperately hoping that he was right. He ran a hand through Sherlock's tousseled curls. "Are you ready?"

Sherlock kissed John back and bit his lip before nodding, "yes... I am," he said quietly. He let John pick him up off the ground and lead him back to the table. They rose when the judge came back in and sat back down again when he was seated.

"I have heard the accusations... and the evidence. And I have come to a decision." Judge Riddle said, looking out on the crowd. "I find the defendant, Sebastian Moran, guilty of all charges. I hereby sentence you to whole life order, starting immediately..." The crowd cheered and Sherlock let out the breath he was holding.

"God knows that's not one second too soon..." the judge said under his breath, nodding in acknowledgment to John and Sherlock before standing and walking out.

John's previous tears returned full force and he turned to Sherlock immediately after he had heard the sentence. Finally, they were safe. He wrapped his arms tightly around his fiance, burying his face into his shoulder. They won. It hadn't gone the way they thought it had, but they won.

Hamish ran up to the table with the Holmeses right behind and he hugged both of the boys at once. "You did well, lads. You did well." He turned to Ms. Rodin and shook her hand. "Thank you so much, for everything."

Sherlock hugged John back just as hard and kissed every part of his face he could reach. "We did it..." he murmured, happy tears running down his face. Ms. Rodin smiled and took Mr. Watson's hand, "It was my pleasure. Always good to see a monster like that put behind bars." She kept holding Hamish's hand long after was necessary and finally let go with a blush on her face, "sorry.. um..." She patted both boys on the back, "you both did so well," she said.

Mr. Watson hadn't even noticed that he still had a hold of Ms. Rodin's hand until she pulled away. He cleared his throat and put the hand she had been holding to the back of his neck. "Not a problem. Really..." He looked off awkwardly in another direction.

John pulled away from Sherlock long enough to hug Ms. Rodin as well. "Thank you, but..." he said as he pulled away. He was feeling some of his guilt returning as they all praised him on doing so well. "I almost ruined everything. And because of me, Sherlock had to testify after all." He bowed his head. "I really didn't do well at all."

Sherlock shook his head and cupped John's cheek, "no, love... you did _**fantastically**_. I needed to testify... for me." He leaned in and gave him a quick kiss, resting their foreheads together afterwards. "If I hadn't told that story... Sebastian would still have been able to control me... to intimidate me and hurt me. But now... I feel freed. Thanks to you, John. You gave me the strength and courage I needed to testify." He smiled at his fiance and wiped the tears from his eyes.

John looked up at Sherlock with wide eyes and his lip trembling. In a way, he was right. He would have always been tortured by those memories if he let himself be. And even though part of John still felt like he hadn't done his job quite right, enough of him felt better to know that _something_ good had come out of his mistakes. He smiled a little and shook his head. "I didn't. You've always had it. You just didn't realise."

Sherlock smiled and kissed John again, holding him close. "I love you so much..." he whispered.

Meanwhile, Ms. Rodin was trying to catch Hamish's eye again. "So, um... you've raised quite a boy there. You and your wife must be very proud," she said.

John happily returned the kiss, murmuring, "I love you, too." against his lover's lips. He didn't even notice as Hamish looked back at Ms. Rodin, the faintest pink dusting his cheeks.

"She should have been. But I haven't seen her in ten years." He smiled a bit at her. "Hamish Watson," he said, holding out his hand.

Ms. Rodin smiled, "Helen... Helen Rodin," she said and took the offered hand.

Sherlock looked back at the two of them talking and chuckled, "looks like your father's back in the game, yeah?" he said and nodded towards them.

John turned around to see his father and Ms. Rodin and smiled softly. "That's the first time he's ever purposely talked to a woman like that since Mum," he said. "It'd be really nice if that worked out." He leaned his head against Sherlock's chest, ear over his heartbeat, his favourite sound.

Sherlock smiled, "me too, I think they both deserve to be happy."


End file.
